Alkaline or Acid?

The usual PRAL (potential renal acid load) method of measuring pH burns food to an ash residue and then measures the pH of the ash. The problem is that PRAL also burns away sugars and yeast, causing inaccurate categorization. What's important is not whether the food itself is acidic or alkaline, but what happens once it is consumed.

Which Foods are Alkaline

If two or three of the following points are correct, then it's alkaline:

• It's fresh and unprocessed. Especially true of oily foods which oxidize easily.
• It contains mostly alkaline minerals.
• It's low in sugar - any kind of sweetness, including fructose from fruits.
• It's a vegetable - most vegetables are alkaline.
• It has a high water content.
• It's green.

Which Foods are Acid

If any of these points are correct, then it's acid:

• It contains sugar - any kind of sugar.
• It contains yeast.
• It contains dairy.
• It's refined (white flours, grains) or processed (frozen, canned).
• It contains gluten.

The goal is to be sensible. We recommend eating 80% alkalizing foods and not more than 20% acidifying foods. See our alkalizing food chart for details.