High acid foods increase sour stomach, bloating, burps and acid reflux. If you have those digestive discomforts or constipation, drink 1 – 2 tablespoons of health food store aloe vera juice added to warm water after meals. Aloe, a soothing deep-acting cleanser, helps relax muscle tension that makes you feel choked with acid. Use an aloe juice or gel such as Lily of the Desert or other drinkable brands (not the aloe you put on sun burns!) Many people get relief from acid reflux by adding 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to a glass of water and sipping it with a straw. Some traditional Chinese doctors recommend apple cider vinegar for weight loss because they believe digestive spasms are associated with liver congestion. To avoid acid reflux, (and gout) reduce or avoid the following high acid foods:
Fruits High in Acid
Blackberries
Blueberries
Cherries, sour
Cranberries
Grapefruit
Oranges
Plums
Strawberries
Vegetables High in Acid
Lentils
Tomatoes
Liquids High in Acid
Coffee
Distilled Water (somewhat acidic)
Soda
Tea (herbal & regular)
Wine, beer (including other fermented foods)
Proteins High in Acid
Beans
Eggs
Liver
Organ Meats
Dairy Foods High in Acid
Butter
Buttermilk
Cheese (particularly aged cheeses)
Sour Cream
Yogurt
Grains High in Acid
Most Flour-Based Foods, particularly bakery items (sugar)
Complex whole grains are very healthy and can be eaten in small portions.
Miscellaneous Foods High in Acid
Cocoa
Gravy
Vitamin B Supplements, including foods fortified with Vitamin B
Have you wondered why B vitamins make you burp? You can still take water based B vitamins (not vitamins A and E) along with some aloe and water or take them with meals to help absorption. Take oily vitamins (A, D, E) from fish or flax oil sources with oily foods.
I understand that soaking beans overnight will alkalanize them, right? I also add seaweed. And isn’t green tea alkalinizing, or is all herb tea acidic? I am trying to alkalanize and hope I am doing the right thing. I’ve been following the guidelines in The Cancer Cookbook by Roxanne Koteles-Smith. Thanks for all of your advice over the years!
Hi Letha – I was very surprised to read of all the fruits that are acid – I thought that fruits and vegetables, although seemingly acid upon eating, still have an alkalizing effect on the body. You didn’t mention nuts – since they are fatty and high in protein, I thought they would be acid forming as well.
As always, keep educating us!
Juni
Thanks for this advice! Almost everything I put in my mouth turns acidic. What about nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts)?
Hi Juni
Thanks as always for bringing up good questions.
True fresh produce – especially some fruits and vegetable have a cleansing – therefore – alkaline effect on digestion. But notice which fruits are not mentioned in the high acid list – apple is cleansing, cooling, and high fiber. It makes the body more alkaline because malic acid in apples brings toxic waste to the liver to be eliminated. Fast on raw organic apple juice or add a tall glass of fresh apple cider containing fiber in the evening for a week then drink 1 Tblespoon extra virgin olive oil on a green salad in the evening and it helps rid the body of stones.
The question of acid fruits and especially their cleansing actions in the body is a place where western nutrition and chinese medicine intersect. Apple is cooling, cleansing, and alkaline (removes excess acid) with laxative action. It would be considered yin -its energetic movement through the body is inward and downward – a yin movement -because it brings waste to the liver that is eliminated by increasing bile – therefore laxative. Prunes do the same.
On the other hand orange is high sugar (high acid) and brings acids out the the skin. It can bring out a rash – a yang movement. ((This is not macrobiotic theory, but chinese meridian theory)) I have seen it in action. When a person contacts me for advice on eczema I warn them not to eat orange, honey, or cayenne. They are not only acidic but bring out a rash – a yang movement in the body — upward and outward.
So in determining whether or not a food is acidic we have to consider its mineral and vitamin content but also how it affects the body’s energy – in this case elimination. If it helps us eliminate acid by increasing urine and BM then it makes the body more alkaline. If it makes us sweat and reduces elimination – it can increase acidity because we cannot eliminate digestive acids as we need to do. Your question and Anne’s question about nuts I will answer separately.
best, L.
Dear Juni and Anne
About nuts. They are great. –good sources of healthy fats – Omega oils. If we do not overdo eating them they are nourishing without being too fattening. Here is an article that is useful:
were once vilified for their high calorie count but now they are viewed as a health food staple, sought after for their high nutrient content. All nuts are rich in magnesium, potassium, calcium and folic acid as well as being a good dietary source of the anti-ageing vitamin E. However you can have too much of a good thing and due to the high calorific value of nuts it is best to enjoy them in moderation. Try replacing the empty calories ( for example potato crisps or carbonated drinks) you may be consuming by replacing them with a small handful (25g) of nuts. Read on and discover which nuts have the most health benefits.
Almonds – contain 153 calories per handful (25g). They are richer in calcium than any other nut making them excellent for bone health. Almonds also have a higher fibre content than other nuts which contributes to better elimination of waste products from the body. The vitamin E content plays an important role in skin, both inside and out, helping it to maintain its elasticity and to repair it if it is damaged.
Hazelnuts – contain 162 calories per handful. Just 15 kernels provide a woman’s daily vitamin E requirement – this helps protect cell walls from the free radical damage caused by pollution, stress and the sun. Research also suggests that vitamin E can help postpone the development of cataracts and Alzheimer’s disease.
Cashews – contain 146 calories per handful. They are rich in iron, containing twice the amount of most other nuts. Cashews are also a good source of zinc, essential for the immune system, healthy skin and vital for fertility in both men and women. They also contain magnesium and copper which help prevent heart disease and promote strong bones.
Pistachios – contain 165 calories per handful. Pistachios along with a healthy diet may reduce the risk of heart disease. They contain potassium and lutein which help reduce blood pressure. Lutein is an anti-oxidant , usually found in green leafy vegetables and brightly coloured fruit, which prevents cholesterol from clogging up arteries, and so raising blood pressure.
Brazil Nuts – contain 172 calories per handful. Thay are rich in selenium, a mineral important for the immune system. Three to four nuts a day provides the recommended selenium intake of 60mcg for women (75mcg for men). Research has shown that diets rich in selenium may decrease the risk of developing lung, prostate and colon cancer. Brazil nuts are high in saturated fat compared with other nuts.
Walnuts – 173 calories per handful. They contain alpha linoleic acid which is an essential fatty acid and has an anti-clotting, blood thinning effect. The omega 3 fatty acid content of walnuts help prevent asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. Walnuts also contain copper, manganese, iron and zinc as well as fibre and B vitamins.
Hi Marian
I am glad to see so much thoughtful response to this little article on acid foods.
In general it is a good idea to keep the body and body fluids alkaline because it increases cleansing. Illness and aches are a great deal acidic. Acid irritates the nerves.
I think green tea is less acidic than black tea. All camella sinensis has some acid. Not all acids are bad for you. ONe kind of acid in tea is anticancer. Soaking beans helps digestion because they start to break down during the soaking. It cuts down on time and effort needed by the body to digest beans. Beans are otherwise hard to digest because they are part protein, part starch and sugar. soaking removes some of the sugar and begins the process of fermentation – fermented foods –seeds and grains are easier to digest.
If you cook grains and beans with seaweed – do not soak the seaweed overnight because you will end up throwing out the soaking water and many of the seaweed minerals. Just steam dulce – don’t boil, soak kelp which is tougher than use the soaking water as cooking water.
best, L.
Hi there. for Acid Reflux at Letha’s Asian Health Secrets was very well written.
Hello Letha,
I have been dealing with acide reflux for quite some time. I was on Protonix and ended up having very bad side effects. I never put the symptoms I was having together with the Protonix. Chest pain, sinusitis, body aches, abdominal pain, etc. They gave me Prevacid 30mg. Solutab – 2 days on it and I started once again to have side effects. That’s it I’m done. The aloe very juice definitely helps plus I’ve been taking baking soda in warm water. Is there a homeopathic remedy to take for this? Thank you so much for all of your information…I love reading the posts and learning.
Karen
Nice job. I completely agree with you.
Thanks for the posts on acid reflux,
Apparently it becomes difficult to have enough healthy acid–digestive enzymes – as we age, it seems to get stuck in the chest. I think if people eat carefully and slowly it may help. I always try to stop people from talking about money and personal problems or illness during meals. You choke on that stuff.
Try some slow deep breathing before the meal. Eat slower and be careful about food combining. Any other non-herbal ideas?
L.
Hi there. or Acid Reflux at Letha’s Asian Health Secrets was very well written.
I herd oatmeal was supposed to be really good for people with acid reflux does anyone now better?
Hi nelle
oatmeal is a fine grain for health because of its minerals. but for acid reflux you need foods and herbs to help relax muscles at the ribs and esophagus. I recommend drinking aloe vera jel in warm water. Add 1/4 cup to a glass of water and sip it between meals. Try to eat without discussing family and financial problems. Just enjoy the meal and eat more slowly.
best, L.
Hi Letha,
Great article. Thank you very much. However, I have a question:
you listed egg as a food to avoid but I wonder if egg white only is ok to eat ?
Thanks,
Quoc
Hi Nguyen,
I think egg white might be less irritating for some people. But the whole egg is best for nutrition.
Some people with liver issues are allergic to eggs. But you know it if you are allergic: Eggs would make you
feel nauseous.
I am trying to follow an anti-reflux diet, but it makes me lose weight when I don’t want to. I’ve been eating a lot of almonds, other nuts and sunflower seeds to help this. If it’s not good to eat a lot of nuts, what else can I eat to put on weight?
Suni
Do you have weight loss from diarrhea? Too fast metabolism? or another reason?
L.