Your Guide to Alkaline Foods That Slim

Download and print out this handy pull-out poster for a quick and easy reference guide to the alkaline foods that slim and energize—and the acidic foods that trigger weight gain. As a growing body of research shows, eating a diet rich in alkaline foods can ease internal inflammation, improve digestion and flush stubborn fat. But just what makes a food acidic or alkaline?

According to Robert O. Young, Ph.D., coauthor of The pH Miracle, this pH measurement isn’t based on the makeup of the food itself, but rather the chemical by-products the food produces during digestion and absorption. For example, lemons contain organic acids that give them a tart taste, but when this citrus fruit is consumed, it forms alkaline compounds that work to neutralize toxic acids in the body.

To make following an alkaline plan easy, FIRST asked health experts to categorize the most common alkaline and acidic foods. Simply fill your plate with 80 percent alkaline-forming foods (like the fruits and veggies listed on the right half of the chart) and limit intake of acid-forming foods (like the meat, dairy products and carbs listed on the left) to 20 percent of your diet.