Which foods are acid-forming, and which are alkaline-forming?
Every bite and every sip we take must be processed by our body. Countless physical and chemical processes take place during this. Our nutrition "interacts" with our body, so to speak. The nature of these interactions varies for each food group. They are classified into acid-forming and alkaline-forming groups. In order to neutralize an acid-forming food, the body must provide bases. An important base for balancing is, for example, calcium, which is released from its body stores for this purpose.
)
Table of contents
Achieving a balanced acid-base equilibrium with an alkaline diet
If we consume too many acid-forming foods, our body's own balancing system can reach its limits - excess acids accumulate and we become over-acidified. Especially after a large meal with a lot of meat and possibly even dessert at the end, a lot of acid is produced in the body and our acid-base balance can be disrupted. You can counteract this by consuming as many alkaline foods as possible. The reason why an alkaline diet works: it contains a particularly high amount of alkaline minerals that neutralize the acid excess and shift the pH value back into the alkaline range.
To stay on the safe side, you should opt for an alkaline-rich diet. This means that the ratio of alkaline to acidic foods should always be around 80 to 20. Tip: You don't need to completely eliminate acidic foods, it is sufficient if alkaline-forming foods such as fresh vegetables, fruits, salads, etc. form the basis for your alkaline recipes.
When foods that actually seem acidic, such as whole grain products, are particularly rich in nutrients at the same time, they are referred to as good acid formers. On the other hand, foods like sweet sodas or white flour products are considered bad acid formers because they provide few nutrients. Although sugar reacts neutrally, it is associated with lower acid excretion in metabolism - thus, sugar indirectly contributes to acidification.
To assess the impact of food on our acid-base balance, the PRAL value (Potential Renal Acid Load) of the food is used. The value describes to what extent 100 g of the food affect our metabolism and kidneys as acidic or alkaline.
Acid-base table: How different foods affect acidification
But don't panic: You don't need to rely on numbers for a healthy acid-base balance! This table gives you a sense of the effects of foods. A varied diet with lots of herbs, fruits, and vegetables, as well as water as a beverage, makes all the calculations unnecessary.
Strong base forming | Weakly basic |
|---|---|
Herbs | Buttermilk |
Leafy salads | Dried fruit |
Vegetables | Mushrooms |
Fruit, fruit vinegar | Legumes |
Potatoes | Honey |
Wild herbs | Sauerkraut |
Fruit and vegetable juices | Herbal tea |
Weakly acidic | Strongly acid-forming |
|---|---|
Milk, cream | Meat, sausage |
Quark, natural yogurt | Fish, seafood |
Whole grain products | Cheese, eggs |
Asparagus, Brussels sprouts | White flour products |
Nuts | Travel |
Peas | Cola |
Cooking delicious and alkaline-rich
E-book with recipes to start your alkaline week. Download for free now.
5 recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner
Including a snack for cravings
Quick and easy preparation
Exclusively developed by experts
)