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Generally speaking, most vegetables and fruits have an alkaline-forming effect on your body fluids. Most grains, animal foods, and highly processed foods have an acid-forming effect on your body fluids. Your health is best served by a good mix of nutrient-dense, alkaline and acid-forming foods; ideally, you want to eat more alkaline-forming foods than acid-forming foods to have the net acid and alkaline-forming effects of your diet match the slightly alkaline pH of your blood. The following lists indicate which common foods have an alkaline-forming effect on your body fluids, and which ones result in acid ash formation when they are digested and assimilated into your system. Foods that have a Moderate to Strong Alkaline-Forming Effect Watermelon, Lemons, Cantaloupe, Celery, Limes, Mango, Honeydew, Papaya, Parsley, Seaweed, Sweet, seedless grapes, Watercress, Asparagus, Kiwi, Pears, Pineapple, Raisins, Apples, Apricots, Alfalfa sprouts, Avocados, Bananas, Garlic, Ginger, Peaches, Nectarines, Grapefruit, Oranges, Most herbs, Peas, Lettuce, Broccoli, Cauliflower. Foods that have a Moderate to Strong Acid-Forming Effect Alcohol, Soft drinks (pop), Tobacco, Coffee, White sugar, Refined Salt, Artificial sweeteners, Antibiotics (and most drugs), White flour products (including pasta), Seafood, White vinegar, Barley, Most boxed cereals, Cheese, Most beans, Flesh meats, Most types of bread. Please note that these lists of acid and alkaline-forming foods are not comprehensive, nor are they meant to be. If you're eating mainly grains, flour products, animal foods, and washing these foods down with coffee, soda, and milk, you will almost certainly improve your health by replacing some of your food and beverage choices with fresh vegetables and fruits. The primary purpose of this article is to offer information that explains why I believe that you don't need to take one or more nutritional supplements or "alkalized water" for the sole purpose of alkalizing your body. Your body is already designed to keep the pH of your body fluids in a tight, slightly alkaline range. The ideal scenario is to make fresh vegetables and fruits the centerpieces of your diet, and to eat small amounts of any other nutrient-dense foods that your appetite calls for and that experience shows your body can tolerate.