All food digested in our bodies metabolizes, or burns, down to an ash residue. This ash residue can be neutral, acidic, or alkaline, depending mostly on the mineral content of the original food. For example, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, zinc, silver, copper, and iron form basic ash; sulphur, phosphorus, chlorine, and iodine leave acid ash.

Most elements are alkaline. Fortunately for us, it is easy to categorize which foods leave which kind of ash.

In general, animal foods - meat, eggs, dairy - processed and refined foods, yeast products, fermented foods, grains, artificial sweeteners, fruit, and sugars are acidifying, as are alcohol, coffee, chocolate, black tea, and sodas. Vegetables, on the other hand, are alkalizing. That includes a few that are technically fruits: avocado, tomato, and bell peppers.

A few non sweet citrus fruits are also basic in the body, as are sprouted seeds, nuts, and grains. Grains are acidifying, though a few (millet, buckwheat, and spelt) are only very mildly so.

Raw foods are more alkalizing, while cooked food is more acidifying.

To maintain a balanced pH in your blood and tissues, your diet should consist of  at least 70 to 80 percent basic foods - that is, no more than 20 to 30 percent acidifying foods (and at least half of that 70 to 80 percent should be raw) The more alkaline your diet, the more rapid your improvement will be. Unlike the familiar "food pyramid," which has an overall acidic effect, this program will bring you back to basic.

These food "ash" pH charts provide some insight into which foods are alkaline and which are acid. They have been broken down into three categories: foods that you can eat freely, foods that you can eat sparingly, and foods you should never eat. Each food is assigned a number which represents it's approximate relative potential of acidity (-) or alkalinity (+) present in one ouce of food. The higher the number, the better it is for you to eat.

These charts come in handy when trying to decide if certain foods are bad to eat. And remember, some foods are listed on the "Foods You Should Never Eat" chart because they contain yeast - the other thing we are trying to avoid.