The first thing that comes to mind when the term “pH” is used is whether or not your pool water is legit. Did you know that our bodies have an intricate pH system as well? The foods we eat and the way we metabolize those foods can affect our mood, skin, sleep cycles, and even the ability of our immune system in preventing and fighting off cancer cell growth.
Cancer cells have a limited pH range in which they can successfully metabolize through mitosis, which is between 6.5 and 7.5. Therefore, if a high alkalinity is maintained (above a 7.5 pH level), it’s game over for these cells to have much of a tolerance for cellular proliferation. Alkaline diets help our immune system to go into rockstar mode, which increases our ability to prevent toxins from triggering genetic susceptibilities that can lead to cancer.
The alkaline diet is primarily plant-based, and limits consumption of sugar, dairy, and grains with high gluten content. The goal of consuming more alkaline foods is to maintain an ideal pH balance in the blood (7.3-7.4), which helps reduce inflammation. Many health conditions, such as asthma, arthritis, edema (excess fluid retention), acne, and excema are caused by inflammation. For example, people with asthma may experience increased wheezing or shortness of breath after consuming dairy products, which cause bronchial inflammation. People who are prone to acne may notice an increase in breakouts after consuming large portions of meat, which can trigger excess sebum production. By increasing the intake of alkaline foods and decreasing the intake of acidic foods, many people with inflammatory conditions experience drastic decreases in symptoms. The charts below provide a guideline of alkaline foods to incorporate into the diet (60-80%) and acid foods to eat sparingly or eliminate (20-40%):
Highly alkaline | Moderately alkaline | Low alkaline | Very low alkaline |
baking soda | apples | almonds | alfalfa sprouts |
chlorella | apricots | apple cider vinegar | avocado oil |
dulse | arugula | apples (sour) | banana |
lemons | asparagus | artichokes | beet |
lentils | beans (fresh green) | avocado | blueberry |
limes | broccoli | bell pepper | brussel sprouts |
lotus root | cantaloupe | blackberry | celery |
mineral water | carob | brown rice vinegar | chive |
nectarine | carrots | cabbage | cilantro |
onion | cashews | cauliflower | coconut oil |
persimmon | cayenne | cherry | cucumber |
pineapple | dandelion tea | cod liver oil | currant |
pumpkin seed | endive | collard green | duck eggs |
raspberry | garlic | egg yolks | flax oil |
sea salt | ginger (fresh) | eggplant | ghee |
sea vegetables | ginseng tea | ginseng | ginger tea |
seaweed | grapefruit | green tea | grain coffee |
spirulina | herbal tea | herbs | grapes |
sweet potato | herbs (leafy green) | honey (raw) | hemp seed oil |
tangerine | honeydew | leeks | lettuces |
taro root | kale | mushrooms | oats |
umeboshi plums | kombucha | papaya | okra |
vegetable juices | kiwi | peach | olive oil |
watermelon | mango | pear | orange |
molasses | pickles (homemade) | quinoa | |
mustard green | potato | raisin | |
olive | primrose oil | sprouted seeds | |
parsley | pumpkin | squashes | |
parsnip | quail eggs | strawberry | |
passion fruit | radishes | sunflower seeds | |
peas | rice syrup | tahini | |
pepper | rutabaga | tempeh | |
raspberries | sesame seed | turnip greens | |
soy sauce | sprouts | wild rice | |
spices | watercress | ||
sweet corn (fresh) | |||
turnip |
Very low acidic | Low acidic | Moderately acidic | Highly acidic |
black-eyed peas | aged cheese | basmati rice | artificial sweeteners |
brown rice | alcohol | casein | barley |
butter | almond oil | chestnut oil | beef |
canola oil | balsamic vinegar | chicken | beer |
chutney | black tea | coffee | brazil nuts |
coconut | boar | corn | breads |
cream | buckwheat | cottage cheese | brown sugar |
curry | chard | cranberry | cocoa |
dates | cow milk | egg whites | cottonseed oil |
dry fruit | elk | fructose | deer |
fava beans | farina | garbanzo beans | flour (white) |
figs | game meat | green peas | fried foods |
fish | goat milk | honey (pasteurized) | juices with sugar |
gelatin | goose | ketchup | hazelnuts |
goat cheese | kamut | lard | hops |
grape seed oil | kidney beans | maize | ice cream |
guava | lamb | mussels | jam |
honey | lima beans | mustard | jelly |
kasha | milk | nutmeg | liquor |
koma coffee | mollusks | oat bran | lobster |
maple syrup | navy beans | olives (pickled) | malt |
millet | pinto beans | palm kernel oil | pasta (white) |
organs | plum | pasta (whole grain) | pheasant |
pine nuts | red beans | pastry | pickles |
rhubarb | safflower oil | peanuts | poultry |
sheep cheese | semolina | pecans | processed cheese |
spinach | sesame oil | pistachio seeds | seafood |
string beans | shell fish | pomegranate | soft drinks |
sunflower oil | soy cheese | popcorn | soybean |
venison | spelt | pork | sugar |
vinegar | tapioca | prunes | table salt |
wax beans | teff | rye | tea (black) |
wild duck | tofu | snow peas | walnuts |
zucchini | tomatoes | soy milk | white bread |
turkey | squid | white vinegar | |
vanilla | veal | whole wheat foods | |
wheat | wine | ||
white beans | yeast | ||
white rice | yogurt (sweetened) |