List of non-acidic fruits & vegetables

Most foods are either acidic or alkaline. In "The Acid-Alkaline Diet for Optimum Health," Dr. Christopher Vasey says that many of today's health problems are caused by a diet that is too acidic. The normal pH level of people's bodies is slightly alkaline (7.35 to 7.45), and because diet plays a fundamental role in sustaining a healthy pH balance, consuming plenty of alkaline-forming foods will help maintain good health.

Alkaline diets put a lot of emphasis on fresh fruits and vegetables. The diet should consist of 80 per cent alkalising foods, according to Heart Spring, and plenty of water. Whether a food is acidic or alkaline-forming has nothing to do with the pH of the food itself. Lemons are very acidic but are also alkaline-forming because when digested they produce an end product that is very alkaline. Most fresh fruits are slightly acidic and should be eaten in moderation. Bananas, according to Heart Spring, are the only alkaline fresh fruit, and banana smoothies are very alkaline-forming.

Dried fruit tends to be more alkaline-forming with raisins, bananas, dates and naturally dried apricots being good choices. Dried fruits to avoid include sulphur-treated apricots, as they are very acidic.

Most vegetables are alkaline-forming with only a few considered acidic. Those that have a tendency to be acid-forming include eggplant and pickled vegetables. According to Wellness.com, raw vegetables are a good choice because they are generally alkaline in the body as well containing many vitamins and minerals. Potatoes, spinach, broccoli, green cabbage, sweet potatoes, peppers, zucchini and squash are all alkaline vegetables.

Fresh vegetable juices and green juices made from grasses, such as couch grass, are very alkaline. Wellness.com recommends chewing your fruit and vegetables well before swallowing to encourage the production of saliva, which is a very alkaline fluid.