Fruits with No Acids are fruit that lack any or some of the natural acid found in fruits. They may be a physiological oddity, they may also be perfectly safe to eat but they do not taste very good. Fruits with no acids are rich in nutrients that provide energy and health. They also can help protect your body against certain diseases.
List of Low-Acid Fruits and Vegetables
Cucumbers are considered low-acid fruits, as are avocados.
If you have gastrointestinal issues like acid reflux or GERD, your doctor may recommend eating low-acid foods, which can help keep acid reflux at bay.
Even if you’re not managing a specific health condition, many low-acid foods are considered healthy picks (as they’re primarily fruits and vegetables) and can be valuable to your daily diet.
While there are health benefits to eating non-acidic foods, especially if you have GERD or kidney disease, that doesn’t mean you should avoid acidic foods altogether. A food’s pH value will determine whether a food is acidic or non-acidic (neutral or more alkaline) and where it lies within the spectrum.
What Is the pH Scale?
The pH scale measures the acidity or alkalinity of a solution, according to the U.S. General Survey (USGS). Scientists use a logarithmic scale to measure pH levels, which generally range from 0 to 14.
- Basic/Alkaline: A pH of more than 7 indicates that the subject is basic.
- Acidic: A pH of less than 7 indicates that the subject is acidic. The closer to 0, the more acidic.
- Neutral: A pH of 7 indicates that the subject is neutral.
While pure water is neutral, neither acidic nor basic, the fluid produced in food can vary along the scale. Any food may measure acidic but may produce an alkaline reaction in your body. So if you’re seeking a lower acid diet, you want to look for alkaline-producing foods.
The human body produces fluids that also vary along the pH scale, according to October 2011 research in the Journal of Environmental and Public Health. Bile, for example, is typically 7.6 to 8.8 along the pH scale, so it’s neutral to slightly alkaline. Your skin is slightly acidic, between 4 and 6.5. Urine ranges from 4.6 to 8, depending on what you eat, while gastric fluid, which breaks down protein, is 1.35 to 3.5, which means it’s pretty acidic.
Tip
Low-acid foods just happen to be mostly fruits and vegetables. And a food’s pH may give you a good indication of its acidity. But there are exceptions: Lemon has a pH closer to 2 (acidic) yet has buffering (alkaline-forming) properties, per an August 2019 review in Nefrologia.
Low-Acid Fruits
Don’t get confused: Low-acid foods will still fall on the “acidic” side of the pH scale. The greater the pH number, the less acidic the fruit.
- Avocados (pH 6.27-6.58)
- Persimmon, Fuyu (pH 6.25)
- Cantaloupe (pH 6.13-6.58)
- Olives, black (pH 6.00-7.00)
- Honeydew melon (pH 6.00-6.67)
- Mangoes, ripe (pH 5.80-6.00)
- Dates (pH 5.49)
- Honeydew (pH 5.42)
- Papaya (pH 5.20-6.00)
- Watermelon (pH 5.18-5.60)
- Pear, Bosc (pH 5.15)
- Figs, Calamyrna (pH 5.05-5.98)
- Pumpkin (pH 4.99-5.50)
- Bananas (pH 4.50-5.20)
- Kiwi (pH 4.84)
- Peach (pH 3.3-4.05)
Low-Acidic Vegetables
- Broccoli (pH 6.30-6.85)
- Asparagus (pH 6.00-6.70)
- Mushrooms (pH 6.00-6.70)
- Soybeans (pH 6.00-6.60)
- Brussels sprouts (pH 6.00-6.30)
- Corn (pH 5.90-7.50)
- Carrots (pH 5.88-6.40)
- Radishes (pH 5.85-6.05)
- Celery (pH 5.70-6.00)
- Hearts of palm (pH 5.70)
- String beans (pH 5.60)
- Cauliflower (pH 5.60)
- Spinach (pH 5.50-6.80)
- Eggplant (pH 5.50-6.0)
- Okra, cooked (pH 5.50-6.60)
- Potatoes (pH 5.40-5.90)
- Parsnip (pH 5.30-5.70)
- Cabbage (pH 5.20-6.80)
- Acorn squash (pH 5.18-6.49)
- Cucumbers (pH 5.12-5.78)
Tip
If you are considering a low-acid diet, check with your doctor or consult with a dietitian to make sure you aren’t missing any essential vitamins and minerals.
Why Low-Acid?
There is no conclusive scientific evidence to support the central claim of the alkaline diet, as neither food nor drink can change your blood’s tightly controlled pH, according to a June 2016 review in BMJ.
However, current studies support cutting back on some of those acid-producing foods (i.e. red meats) while filling your diet with more veggies. In fact, decreasing animal meat in favor of more fruits and vegetables helps reduce urine acidity, a culprit in promoting kidney stones, per the National Kidney Foundation. And a May 2016 study in the Iranian Journal of Kidney Diseases suggests that a low-acid diet is tied to a lower risk of chronic kidney disease.
Emphasizing more vegetable protein in lieu of red meat may even help manage heartburn symptoms and issues related to GERD. Vegetable proteins are associated with fewer incidents of acid reflux within the first hour after eating, according to an April 2018 study in Gastroenterology Research and Practice.
“High-fiber food helps with the movement of contents in the stomach through the digestive tract,” Madathupalayam Madhankumar, MD, a gastro surgeon, says. “The food which is stuck in the stomach for a long time causes acid generation and pressure on the esophageal sphincter, which will result in acid reflux.”
List of Non Acidic Fruits & Vegetables
If you, like many of us suffer from the agonizing symptoms of acid reflux, heartburn, or chronic cramps, then it’s time we talked about acidity. Acidic food is a common cause of digestive discomfort, and this time, it’s not just fatty foods and highly processed products. Highly acidic fruit like citrus fruit and other ‘natural’ acid forming foods can also be to blame.
If you are trying to cut down on acid in your diet, read on. Here we’ve brought together a list of non acidic fruits and vegetables, perfect for sensitive tummies. But first, what makes food acidic, and why should I be interested in the pH value in my food…?
What Is the pH Scale?
The pH scale is a very special scale designed to measure the acidity levels of food, compounds, or elements. Think of it as a thermometer, but instead of telling us how hot or cold something is, the pH scale tells us how acidic or alkaline (the opposite of acidic) something is. It does this using a scale from 0 (very acidic) to 14 (very alkaline). The middle point, 7, is considered neutral.
All natural elements lie somewhere on this scale, and we can generalize them into the three main categories – Alkaline, acidic, and neutral.
- Alkaline/Basic >7- 14:
For a compound to be considered Alkaline, also known as basic, it has to have a pH score between seven and 14. Now the higher the number, the more basic the compound is. Human blood, for example, is slightly basic, and our blood pH level lies around 7.4. Household bleach is very basic and has a pH level of 12.3.
- Acidic 0- <7:
On the other end of the scale, we have our acidic compounds with a pH level between zero and less than 7. The lower the number, the more acidic a compound is. Lemon juice, for example, has a pH level of 2,.4, making it very acidic. Milk has a pH level of 6.6, making it only very slightly acidic.
- Neutral 7:
At the midpoint of our scale, we have the number 7, and this is what we would consider neutral. Pure water with a pH level of seven is regarded as the measuring stick as far as neutrality goes.
pH Levels and Your Diet
So what does any of this have to do with your diet? Over the years, many health experts have tried to draw comparisons between the pH levels of the foods in our diets and our health.
You may have even heard about something called the ‘alkaline diet.’ This diet essentially suggested that by consuming many alkaline foods, you can raise your body’s blood pH level to a state of ‘alkalosis.’ Supposedly, this alkaline state is optimal for disease prevention and can miraculously help people fight cancer, heart disease, and other chronic illness. While there is very little medical evidence to back up these claims, there are many different reasons why some people choose to eat low acidic fruits and vegetables.
Our bodies, especially our tummies, are highly susceptible to changes in pH levels and can be strongly affected by the foods we consume. Some people especially have a more challenging time processing acidic foods and can experience discomfort or pain, which may present itself in the form of:
- Acid Reflux
- Heart Burn
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Cramps
- Gastritis
Why Low Acidic Fruits and Vegetables?
The discomfort that these conditions can bring can be debilitating and get in the way of enjoying your day-to-day life. While we always suggest consulting with a medical professional if you experience extreme or prolonged discomfort, there are some simple changes you can make to your diet which may help manage symptoms.
If you have already cut out typical processed foods like coca-cola and other soft drinks, it may be time to consider the acidity levels in your fruits and vegetables.
Processed fruit juice, especially apple juice, cranberry juice, and orange juice, are full of ascorbic acid and citric acid and should be the first to go if you are suffering from reflux symptoms.
Fresh fruits and vegetables can also be surprisingly acidic. Even small quantities can irritate the lining of your throat and stomach, raising the pH value of your stomach acid leading to discomfort. That is why you might feel pain after eating a grapefruit (pH 2.9) or a bowl of blueberries (pH 4.3).
However, cutting out all the fresh fruits and vegetables from your diet isn’t the best option. While it’s pretty easy to figure out what product doesn’t work for you, sometimes it’s more challenging to understand what you can consume. We’ve created this list of non acidic fruits and our list of non acidic vegetables, full of better options for delicate tummies.
List of Non Acidic fruits and Vegetables
List of Non Acidic Fruits
While it is hard for any fruit to have 0% acidity, this list of low acidic fruits is a cornucopia of fruits with low acidic values. Whether you are looking for non acidic fruits for gastritis, heartburn, or any other reason, these fruits should be at the top of your shopping list.
Remember, some fruits, like bananas, change their acidity levels as they ripen, and you should take this into consideration. Try removing their skins before eating if you still have trouble digesting certain low or non acidic fruits, especially those with higher levels like kiwi or peaches.
- Avocados (pH 6.27-6.58)
- Persimmon, Fuyu (pH 6.25)
- Cantaloupe (pH 6.13-6.58)
- Olives, black (pH 6.00-7.00)
- Honeydew melon (pH 6.00-6.67)
- Mangoes, ripe (pH 5.80-6.00)
- Dates (pH 5.49)
- Honeydew (pH 5.42)
- Papaya (pH 5.20-6.00)
- Watermelon (pH 5.18-5.60)
- Pear, Bosc (pH 5.15)
- Figs, Calamyrna (pH 5.05-5.98)
- Pumpkin (pH 4.99-5.50)
- Bananas (pH 4.50-5.20)
- Kiwi (pH 4.84)
- Peach (pH 3.3-4.05)
Non Acidic Vegetables List
Luckily for us, there is a wide range of non acidic vegetables ready to fill up your plate. As a general rule, the best veggies to look out for are the infamous dark, green leafy sort, like kale and spinach, synonymous with healthy living. Let’s check some other options out:
- Broccoli (pH 6.30-6.85)
- Asparagus (pH 6.00-6.70)
- Mushrooms (pH 6.00-6.70)
- Soybeans (pH 6.00-6.60)
- Brussels sprouts (pH 6.00-6.30)
- Corn (pH 5.90-7.50)
- Carrots (pH 5.88-6.40)
- Radishes (pH 5.85-6.05)
- Celery (pH 5.70-6.00)
- Hearts of palm (pH 5.70)
- String beans (pH 5.60)
- Cauliflower (pH 5.60)
- Spinach (pH 5.50-6.80)
- Eggplant (pH 5.50-6.0)
- Okra, cooked (pH 5.50-6.60)
- Potatoes (pH 5.40-5.90)
- Parsnip (pH 5.30-5.70)
- Cabbage (pH 5.20-6.80)
- Acorn squash (pH 5.18-6.49)
- Cucumbers (pH 5.12-5.78)
Is a Low Acid Diet Right for You?
Are you thinking about making the change to a low acidic diet? A low acidic diet, like the GERD diet or the acid reflux diet, can help those suffering from upsets such as acid reflux symptoms and heartburn.
These diets advocate cutting out the highly acidic foods like citrus fruit and red meat and filling up your plate with alkaline foods or other low acid food. In addition to low acid fruit and vegetable, low acid food includes certain foods like soy foods, whole grains, and pulses such as beans and lentils.
These so-called ‘alkaline food’ types reduce acid production and help ease digestional discomfort. Combining these foods with low acid fruits and vegetable is a go-to recipe for a calm stomach.
Additionally, alkaline foods are typically full of vitamins and minerals, further improving your overall health and sense of wellbeing. Give a low acid diet a go and see how your tummy feels.
What You Need to Care About While Choosing Non Acidic Fruits and Vegetables
Like always, we recommend consuming fresh, locally grown (wherever possible) fruit and vegetables which have been minimally processed. Some companies use citric acid as a preservative on so-called ‘fresh produce,’ like bagged carrots or cut fruits. Always check out the ingredients on the nutritional information to avoid any nasty surprises!
It’s also essential to wash your veggies before consuming, as the skin can be full of preservatives and other dangerous pesticides or contaminants.
Low Acid Food
In low acid foods processed to shelf-stability (the equivalent of thermally sterilized foods), all pathogens should be completely eliminated by the HP/T process.
14.5.1 Shelf-stable foods
The term low-acid foods is applied to foods with a pH > 4.5 in the UK and to foods with a pH > 4.6 in the USA (Lund and Peck, 2000). These are considered to be foods with a pH that could allow growth of C. botulinum. Canned products without additional controlling factors, generally receive a heat treatment equivalent to 121 °C for three minutes (an F03 process). This is known as the ‘botulinum cook’ for low-acid foods, and is intended to reduce the number of viable spores of proteolytic C. botulinum by a factor of 10 (a 12D process). The use of other factors to control C. botulinum in shelf-stable foods has been reviewed (Lund and Peck, 2000).
Microbiology of canned foods
1.3.3.3 Acidified foods
Acidified foods are low-acid foods which have had their pH reduced to 4.6 or lower by the addition of acids or acid foods. Vinegar, or any safe and suitable organic acid or acid food, can be used for this purpose. Acidification is one means of preserving food products; in addition to preventing bacterial growth, acidification helps maintain a desired product quality. Puddings, cucumbers, artichokes, cauliflower, peppers, and fish are examples of low-acid foods which are normally acidified.
The addition of an acid or an acid food to such products is a method of preservation designed to prevent bacteria of public health significance from growing. If acidification is not adequately controlled at a pH of 4.6 or below, C. botulinum can grow in the food.
Processed Products Regulations
These regulations require that low-acid food products packaged in hermetically sealed containers be thermally processed to achieve commercial sterility. Low-acid food products packaged in hermetically sealed containers are exempt from these regulations, if they are stored under refrigeration or frozen, and if the container and boxes in which they are shipped are marked “Keep Refrigerated” or “Keep Frozen.” This same requirement is found in the FDR.
Also, the water used to cool the containers after thermal processing must be of acceptable microbiological quality, but the regulation does not specify what an acceptable quality is. Water used in a cooling system must contain a residual bactericide when discharged, and records must be kept of all bactericidal treatments.
In addition, these regulations set requirements for the microbiological quality of frozen vegetables. Bacterial counts in frozen vegetables should not exceed (a) 250 000 viable aerobic mesophiles per gram of product and (b) 100 aerobic thermophilic spores per gram of product if the frozen vegetable is intended for remanufacturing purposes.
General food safety requirements are prescribed under Section 2.1 of these regulations. This section prohibits the sale of processed fruits and vegetables that are adulterated, contaminated, prepared under unsanitary conditions, not sound, not wholesome, or not edible.
Retorting
Retorting is heating of low acid foods prone to microbial spoilage in hermetically sealed containers to extend their shelf life. The goal of retort processing is to obtain commercial sterilization by application of heat. Foods can be sterilized in rigid containers like glass, metal cans and plastic or flexible retort pouches.
Metal cans and glass jars are widely used for retort processes, because of their high mechanical strength, thermal stability, resistance to pressure, and excellent barrier properties. The advantage of using glass is product visibility; however, careful handling is required to prevent breakage (Holdsworth & Simpson, 2007).
Three-piece cans made from tinplate or lacquered tin-free steel are commonly used for retort packaging. Two-piece cans made from aluminum and other flexible containers are slowly replacing them. Some advantages of aluminum over tinplate cans are lower shipping costs, no rusting and easier puncture opening. Plastic containers are sometimes used for retorting of foods, especially ready-to-eat military rations (Chung et al., 2006).
A typical retortable plastic container is made of an oxygen barrier layer such as ethylene vinyl chloride (EVOH) or polyvinylidene chloride (PVdC) sandwiched between two polypropylene layers. Flexible retortable pouches are laminated structures that must provide excellent barrier properties for long shelf life, seal integrity, puncture resistance and must withstand rigorous thermal processing (Driscoll & Paterson 1999). A typical retort pouch contains an Al foil layer sandwiched between two polypropylene layers.
6.2 Low-Acid Pasteurized Products
In the case of low-acid food (LAF) products (pH>4.6, e.g., milk), a shorter shelf life (days) is obtained after pasteurization, and refrigerated storage is necessary to maintain product safety during storage, by restricting the growth of surviving pathogens (e.g., spore formers) in the food. In addition to dairy products, more than 1000 different types of food are pasteurized.
As mentioned previously, and for the reasons of public safety, low-acid pasteurized foods (LAPFs) are stored, transported, and sold under refrigerated conditions and with a limited shelf life, to minimize the outgrowth of pathogenic microbes in the foods during distribution. Beverages such as milk, dairy products (e.g., cheeses), food ingredients, low carbonated drinks, and certain fruit juices (e.g., carrot, pear, and some tropical juices) are examples of LAPF. Refrigerated processed foods with ESL are also included in this class.
The critical product and process parameters, target organisms, and storage conditions that are to be considered in order to establish pasteurization preservation specifications are summarized in Table 6.1.
Table 6.1. Product, Process, and Storage Conditions for Establishment of Pasteurization Specifications
| Pasteurization | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | <3.5 | 3.5<pH<4.6 | pH>4.6 |
| Aw | |||
| Temperature (°C) | 65–72 | >65 | >65 |
| Additional hurdles | No | Refrigeration | Antimicrobials, Aw |
| Pathogenic | E. coli, Listeria, Salmonella | E. coli, Listeria, Salmonella | Nonproteolitic Clostridium botulinum |
| Spoilage | Molds, yeasts | Lactic bacteria yeasts, molds | |
| Storage | Ambient | Refrigerated conditions | |
| Packaging | Hermetically sealed containers |
Pasteurization was recently redefined as “any process, treatment, or combination thereof, that is applied to food to reduce the most resistant microorganism(s) of public health significance to a level that is not likely to present a public health risk under normal conditions of distribution and storage” (NACMCF, 2006). However, the nature of a novel process may limit the ability to develop values equivalent to the sterilizing or pasteurizing values used within the thermal processing industry. However, there needs to be a risk analysis procedure that would result in a known level of safety for a process, and thus, the ability to establish equivalence between processes and products produced.
A general approach for the establishment of the preservation process that also relates to UV technology includes identification of the organism of concern; identification and selection of the appropriate target end point; development of a conservative estimation of the ability of the process to consistently deliver the target end point; quantitative validation (microbiological or mathematically) of the lethal treatment delivered; and determination of a list of the critical factors and procedures used to control the delivery of the required process. All pasteurization processes need to be validated through the use of process authorities, challenge studies, and predictive modeling. All pasteurization processes must be verified to ensure that critical processing limits are achieved. As novel technology is applied commercially, the research is needed to develop label statements about pasteurization that can be understood by consumers.