Understanding Acidic vs. Acid-Forming
Understanding Acidic vs. Acid-Forming
by Djehuty Ma'at-Ra
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Many people become unnecessarily confused about acid or acidic foods due to hearing so much about the harms of an acidic or acid-forming diet. Well, there's a difference!
Acid foods or acidic foods are the polarity of alkaline foods. Our diets should consist of at least 20% of acid or acidic foods (unprocessed or unrefined fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and grains). The other 80% of foods we should consume should be alkaline. So 80% alkaline and 20% acid or acidic is a healthy balance.
Now while naturally acidic in nature (simply because they contain various acids), these acids in acidic foods are salubrious, beneficial, and needed by the body for purposes of balance. Balance is always on the scene and in Nature you will always find balance.
The acids you find in an orange, lemon, lime, or grapefruit is not the same kind of harmful acid found in acid-forming foods such as dairy products, meats, and refined grains.
Acid foods, i.e. citrus fruit and certain nuts, are not the same as "acid-forming" or "acid-inducing" foods, i.e. meat, milk, butter, ice cream, white bread, eggs, or sugar, which are usually processed and/or refined so-called foods.
Refrain from confusing "acid foods" (which are listed in our Food Combining Chart) with "acid-forming" foods, a/k/a dead foods (cooked foods, processed foods).
Acid or acidic foods such as certain fruit and nuts will not produce harmful mucus (thick, viscous, yellow-greenish mucus) like acid-forming foods will produce. Again, there is a difference. Refrain from confusing "acid" or "acidic" with "acid-forming" or "acid-inducing." They are not the same!
Please reference the following:
Acid or acidic foods:
Fruit: (Citrus fruit - oranges, limes, lemons, grapefruit, tangerines, etc.)
Vegetables: Brussels sprouts, Cress,
Seeds: chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds
Nuts: cashews, filberts, macadamia, pecans, walnuts, pistachio, etc.
NOTE: These foods in their natural state are healthy to consume and do not produce unhealthy mucus (phlegm). They can be consumed while on a Dherbs.com cleanse and regimen, i.e. Full Body Detox. These foods help produce healthy mucus (clear mucus) in the body.
Acid-forming or acid-inducing foods:
All meats (bologna, salami, ham, steak, hamburger, chicken, bacon, fish, turkey, sardines, tuna, pork, pastrami, lamb, lobster, crab, shrimp, etc.)
All dairy products (milk, ice cream, butter, sour cream, yogurt, cream, etc.)
Eggs (poached, boiled, scrambled, etc.)
All refined grains (cake, donuts, cookies, pies, white bread, bagels, crackers, cereals, toast, waffles, pancakes, etc.)
Miscellaneous: soda pop, wine, beer, coffee, chocolate, hot cocoa, Kool Aid, candy, lattes, chewing gum, distilled vinegar, canned foods, bottled foods, T.V. Dinners, potato chips, pickles; pharmaceutical drugs (prescription medicine), illegal or illicit drugs, etc.
NOTE: These foods (and beverages) are unnatural and are man-made and thus unhealthy to consume and should not be consumed while on a Dherbs.com cleanse or regimen. They are acid-forming and thus mucus-inducing (unhealthy mucus). Consume them as little as possible (if you are used to them which you probably are).
In closing, remember this:
Acid or acidic foods are produced in or by Nature and are healthy; they produce healthy mucus (clear mucus).
Acid-forming foods are produced by man (food and beverage companies) and are unhealthy; they produce unhealthy mucus (phlegm).
Thank you for reading!
This article is compliments of Dherbs.com and Djehuty Ma'at-Ra.
Additional articles by Djehuty available @
http://www.dherbs.com/articles/