Back to Basics: On Acidic and Alkaline Foods, Part I

In many of my articles, I have mentioned the concepts of 'acidic food' versus 'alkaline food.' The balance between these foods greatly influences our health. Therefore, it is appropriate to dedicate an article to this important topic.

Acidity and alkalinity are two different chemical states, each having various health implications in our bodies (it's complicated to explain the chemical meaning of these states in this context, but it should be noted that it doesn't necessarily refer to food tasting sour versus non-sour food). Generally, the acidic or alkaline state of the body is affected by different factors such as various health issues like kidney problems, stress, medication, different foods, and more. In this article, I will focus on how food affects the chemical state of the body, acidic or alkaline.

In general, I will note that foods we eat can be divided into those that, through a chemical process in our bodies, create an alkaline reaction, and those that, through a different chemical process in our bodies, create an acidic reaction. What causes food to affect the body's acidic or alkaline reaction depends on which minerals are present in the food and are dominant in quantity relative to others. Food where the presence of sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and iron is dominant will have an alkaline reaction. However, food where the presence of sulfur, phosphorus, and chlorine is dominant will have an acidic reaction.

Accordingly, I will note that acidic-producing foods are mainly proteins from animal sources including meat, fish, eggs, cheese, sugar, some legumes, some whole grains such as wheat, rice, coffee, tea, alcohol, and more. Conversely, most fruits and vegetables have an alkaline reaction in the body.

As mentioned, a proper balance between acidity and alkalinity in the body is one of the keys to health. As long as a person eats little acidic or alkaline food, the body can balance in different ways the chemical environment in the body. However, if most of a person's diet is acidic or alkaline, this already constitutes a situation that can significantly disrupt the balance between acid and base. This situation may make it difficult for the body to create balance, which can be a source of various diseases. An example of this: if over years a person eats a lot of meat or other foods with a tendency to create acidity, and over time the acidity level in the body is high, the body will 'steal' calcium from other places in the body, such as from the teeth or bones – leading to possible cavities or calcium loss. We'll continue to explain this next week.

Eliahu Schechter is an iridologist and natural healer