Alkaline-forming foods
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An alkaline-forming food is a food that tends to make the body more alkaline when digested. This is determined by sampling urine or burning the food and testing the pH of the ash.
Generally, foods do not have a great effect upon the pH of the body, since the bloodstream is highly buffered. Mainstream medicine does not focus upon whether food is alkaline-forming or acid-forming, since only major diseases are able to greatly disrupt the pH. However, some forms of alternative medicine such as nutripathy consider it a key to nutrition. Nutripathy attempts to achieve a balanced body pH through dietary modification.
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pH of food
Nearly all fruits and vegetables are acidic (have a pH less than 7). For example, an apple has a pH of around 3.3 to 4.0, depending on variety and growing conditions. Leafy green vegetables have a pH of 5.5 to 6.8. Acidity helps to protect the food from bacteria, most of which require a neutral pH, especially the pathogenic ones. However, acidity does not stop fungi like yeast, which is why fruit will ferment naturally.
Most meat, dairy, and soy products have a neutral pH. Tofu has a pH of about 7.2. Milk has a pH on the acidic side of neutral, 6.4 to 6.8. Most meats and fish have pH from 6.3 to 7.4.
Very few foods are alkaline. One of the very few is conch, which has a pH from 7.5 to 8.4.
Effect of foods on pH balance
Alkaline-forming foods are foods such as carrots, green leafy vegetables, fruits like apple, citrus and tomatoes. These foods slightly reduce acidity in human body.
Alternatively, grains and meats have an acidic effect in the body, and are sometimes referred to as acid-forming foods.
Some foods tend to have a neutral effect, including dairy products, and oils.
Role of digestion
Whether a particular food results in alkalizing or acidizing the body depends also on the completeness of digestion, thus can be different between individuals and conditions.
External links
- Table of food pH measurements (http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~comm/lacf-phs.html)