Acidic foods to avoid

A proper diet, containing all the essential nutrients, is vital for maintaining the good health and for overcoming diseases and illnesses. Eating healthy may not be an easy task today when there are so many delicious temptations out there, but with strong will and determination nothing is impossible.

However, eating healthy does not mean just consuming foods that contain vitamins and minerals. It also means avoiding certain foods that can cause health problems. For example, acidic foods, though they often contain beneficial ingredients, can cause problems like acid reflux, heartburn and pain in upper abdomen, because they increase the production of digestive enzymes. Avoiding those foods will improve the quality of life and prevent potential health problems.

Here are some of the foods that are known for their acidity, divided into five groups.

Acidic Dairy Products

Dairy products that are considered to be acidic include butter, yogurt, cream, cheese and custards. Eating these foods will increase the amount of acid in the stomach, which may cause digestive problems.

In addition, dairy is filled with hormones, pesticide residues, mycotoxins and fats, and there is also the milk sugar, called lactose, to which many people are allergic or intolerant. Dairy also promotes mucus build-up and viscosity.

Acidic Meat and Poultry

In this category, acidic foods include chicken, beef, fish, turkey, shellfish, goat, pork, lamb and rabbit meat.

Meet and poultry, as well as their numerous by-products, are very acidic. Animals feed on food that contains many harmful elements, which are passed to humans through consumption of their meat. There are many health reasons why people should avoid meat and poultry, and one of them is that the science has found a strong correlation between animal protein consumption and several kinds of cancer, including thyroid cancer, prostate, pancreas, ovarian cancer, breast cancer, stomach and colon cancer.

Refined, Processed and Frozen Foods

This category unfortunately includes all frozen foods, like frozen vegetables, fruits, meat and fish, and frozen baked goods too. High-acidity foods also include canned food like soups, sauces and similar, ready-made foods that just need to be heated in the microwave oven, chips, cookies, donuts and basically everything that qualifies all fast food.

These foods are filled with sodium, sugar, fat, artificial flavors and colors, additives, preservatives, stabilizers and other synthetic ingredients.

Refined Sugar and Artificial Sweeteners

Sugar is found in almost all foods, especially those that are processed. The problem with refined sugar is that it is stripped down from all the minerals necessary for its digestion, so the body needs to take from its own mineral reserves in order to digest it. Artificial sweeteners are synthetic and made from elements that are potentially very harmful for human health. Refined sugar and its artificial alternatives are considered to be among the most acidic foods out there.

Acidic beverages

Beverages that are very acidic and should be avoided for that reason include coffee, tea, alcohol, sodas, concentrate juices, and similar.

The main reason one should avoid acidic foods and beverages is that, when its pH levels are disturbed, the human body needs to work very hard to restore them. In addition, acidity decreases the body’s ability to absorb important nutrients and to expel harmful toxins.