10 Tricks To Alkalize Bone-Damaging Acidifying Foods

Vivian Goldschmidt, MA Nutrition

Evidence-Based
6 min Read
10 alkalizing tricks

By now, you already know how to create pH-balanced meals to build your bones. But did you know there are actually tricks that can make some acidifying foods less acidifying?

Acid-forming foods are not off-limits on the Osteoporosis Reversal Program, of course; but if you can alkalize your favorite acidifying foods, you’ll be able to enjoy them in greater quantities and still maintain the desirable pH balance.

Here’s the best part: these tricks won’t substantially change the original food’s appearance, so you can easily serve your “alkalized versions” of these foods to friends and family.

And to get you started right away, today I’m also sharing a new recipe that shows you how to alkalize an acid-forming all-time favorite.

The Key Is Food Substitution

The idea is to add the appropriate alkalizing foods to acidifying ones. While the exact proportion is up to you, a rough guideline is to substitute about 1/3 of the acidifying food with an alkalizing food. Remember, this won’t convert the acidifying food into an alkalizing food, but it will make it less acidifying.

How To Add Alkalizing Goodness To Foods

1. Mix Peanut Butter With Coconut Oil Or Almond Butter

Peanut butter is an acidifying food, but it’s a childhood favorite that many Savers may have trouble limiting. Coconut oil and almond butter are alkalizing, and blend in nicely with peanut butter. In fact, you may love the delicious taste of coconut or almonds in the mix.

2. Mix Mayonnaise With Tahini

Mixed with part tahini, mayonnaise becomes a less acidifying, flavorful spread for your favorite sandwich. You can also dip your favorite raw vegetables in this delicious mix.

3. Mix Egg Or Fish Salad With Mashed Avocado

Because of their exceptional nutritional content, you'll find eggs listed as a healthy Foundation Food in the Osteoporosis Reversal Program. They are acidifying, however, and when you add mayonnaise to your egg salad, you’re adding yet more acidifying ingredients.

The same is true for fish salad (tuna or salmon, for example). While fish is a healthy source of Omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients, all fish is acid-forming.

A little mashed avocado added to these salads enhances the creaminess and adds a crucial alkalizing element. Avocado does not have an assertive flavor, either, so it’s easily incorporated into egg or fish salad.

4. Mix Your Favorite Fish Or Chicken Salad With Cooked Quinoa And Sesame Seeds

To offset the acidifying fish and chicken, simply mix in nutritious quinoa and/or sesame seeds for a delicious, alkalizing crunch.

5. Mix Mashed Potatoes With Sautéed Grated Cauliflower Or Sweet Potato

Nothing says “comfort food” like mashed potatoes.

To alkalize mashed potatoes, grate and sauté cauliflower and mix it in – the flavor is almost neutral and the texture blends perfectly. Using mashed sweet potato is another way to add an alkalizing element, delicious flavor, (and lovely color) to mashed potatoes.

Bonus Tip: you do not need to use cow’s milk to make delicious mashed potatoes; simply save the potato cooking water and use it instead of milk to bring potatoes to the right consistency. Or use almond milk or your favorite alkalizing milk substitute.

6. Mix Buttermilk With Plain, Unsweetened Yogurt

You may be using acid-forming buttermilk to prepare marinades, salad dressings, dips, and more.The good news that you can mix alkalizing plain, unsweetened yogurt with buttermilk. Bear in mind that I’m not encouraging you to use buttermilk, because there are many delicious ways of replacing dairy foods when you’re preparing bone-healthy meals. So try to eventually replace all of the buttermilk with yogurt. Your bones will thank you!

7. Mix Stir-Fry Beef With Chopped Shitake Or Portabella Mushrooms

Savers already know that, like all animal protein, beef is acidifying. Replacing 1/3 (or more) of the beef with alkalizing mushrooms solves this dilemma, and the mushrooms add all sorts of bone-healthy and immune-boosting nutrients.

8. Mix Any Acidifying Bean With Lima Beans

Almost all beans are acidifying (black, pinto, kidney, garbanzo, lentils, red, and white varieties). But lima beans are an exception. Their creamy texture and subtle flavor make them a great addition to soup, stew, chili, or any bean dish.

9. Mix Chicken Soup With Pumpkin Or Carrot Soup

Chicken soup is another comfort food that you might associate with childhood or cold winter nights around the family table. While it’s very popular, chicken is still an animal protein, and therefore it’s acidifying.

To boost nutrients and alkalinity, mix carrot or pumpkin soup into your chicken soup. If you don’t have these soups on hand, you can simply stir in steamed, pureed pumpkin or carrot. The flavor boost is amazing and the color makes for a very attractive dish.

10. Mix Alkalizing Vegetables With Beef To Make Delicious Burgers

Beef burgers, while delicious, aren't exactly the healthiest food choice. Add a bun, cheese, and other acidifying condiments, and you have a quite bone-damaging meal, if not balanced by other alkalizing foods.

Instead, mix in a generous amount of vegetables with your ground beef before you cook the burgers. The result: Beefed-Down Burgers.

Here’s the recipe:

Beefed-Down Burgers

9 burgers

Ingredients:

  • 6 medium tomatoes, diced (drain excess liquid well)
  • 1 large carrot, diced
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 cup spinach
  • 1.5 lbs. ground beef (or ground chicken or turkey if you prefer) 
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • pinch of parsley, fresh or dry
  • sea salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

  1. Heat the oil in large skillet and sauté all vegetables and spices until soft. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
  2. Blend all the vegetables and spices in blender, until it becomes a thick sauce. Taste test to see if you need more salt or pepper. 
  3. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and let it cool  down (you can prepare the veggie mix the day before to save time).
  4. Preheat the oven to 400F. Once the vegetable mixture is at room temperature, add the ground beef (or meat of your choice) and egg.
  5. Mix in the bowl until everything is fully blended. 
  6. Shape into burgers and place in a baking dish. 
  7. Cook in oven for approximately 40 to 45 minutes. Check periodically to make sure you don't overcook them.

If you want more recipes like these– recipes that build bone and protect your health–then check out Bone Appétit (if you haven’t yet). Bone Appétit is more than just a cookbook; it's also a meal planner and it includes Blender Magic, a bonus that offers 30 bone-healthy smoothies, and Calcilicious for calcium-rich recipes.

Feel free to share your alkalizing booster ideas with the community by leaving your comments below. And remember, you were made for (natural) health!

Till next time,

vivian sig