Ragnar Berg's Nutritive Value Tables

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This table reflects, in percentages, the negative or bad properties of acid- forming foods and the positive or good properties of acid-binding alkaline foods. Alkaline foods build and heal the body, and also neutralize the harmful acids produced by the acid-forming foods. (excess acids form excess mucus, causing all forms of internal congestion and a medium for bacterial growth and disease)

The higher the acid-binding percentage of a food--the more valuable that food is, as an acid and mucus eliminator. By eating a larger portion of acid-binding foods, at the same meal, while eating acid-forming foods, the harmful effects of the acid-forming foods are lessened.

Name of Food	% Acid Binding	% Acid Forming	Name of Food	% Acid Binding	% Acid Forming
VEGETABLES			FRUITS
Black radish, w/skin	39.40		Olives	30.56
Spinach	28.01		Figs	27.81
Dill	18.36		Raisins	15.10
Dandelion	17.52		Tangerines	11.77
Endives	4.51		Lemons	9.90
Lettuce	14.12		Oranges	9.61
Tomatoes	13.67		Grapes	7.15
Cucumbers	13.50		Blackberries	7.14
Red Beets	11.37		Plums	5.80
Celery Roots	11.33		Prunes	5.80
Leeks	11.00		Dates, dried	5.50
White Turnips	10.80		Peaches	5.40
Sweet Potatoes/ Yams	10.31		Raspberries	5.19
Sugar Beets	9.37		Apricots	4.79
Rhubarb	8.93		Currants	4.43
String Beans - Fresh	8.71		Banana	4.38
Young Radish	6.05		Cherries, sour	4.33
Kohlrabi Root	5.99		Pomegranates	4.15
Potatoes, White	5.90		Pineapple	3.59
Green Peas -Fresh/Yong	5.15		Pears	3.26
Watercress	4.98		Cherries, sweet	2.66
Artichoke	4.31		Cherries	2.57
Cabbage, White	4.02		Strawberries	1.76
Horse Radish w/skin	3.06		Apples	1.38
Cauliflower	3.04
Chicory	2.33
Cabbage, Red	2.20		Coconut	4.09
Watermelon	1.83		Hazelnut		2.08
Onions, Red	1.09		Almonds		2.19
Asparagus	1.01		Walnuts		9.22
Pumpkins	0.28		Chestnuts		9.62
Peas, Dried		3.41	Peanuts		16.39
Beans, Dried		9.70
Brussels Sprouts		13.15
Lentils		17.80

Name of Food	% Acid Binding	% Acid Forming	Name of Food	% Acid Binding	% Acid Forming
MEATS			GRAINS, BEANS
Animal Blood	5.49		Soy Beans	26.58
Ham, smoked		6.95	Rock Candy	18.21
Bacon		9.90	Sugar Cane	14.57
Ox Tongue		10.60	Rye Flour		0.72
Pork		12.47	Oat Flour		8.08
Mutton, Lamb		20.30	Oat Flakes		20.71
Rabbit		22.36
Veal		22.95	DRINKS
Chicken		24.32	Green Tea	53.50
Beef		38.61	Chicory Roots	7.17
			Coffee	5.60
FISH / EGG			Grape Juice	5.16
Oysters	10.25		Ale	3.37
White Fish		2.75	Porter	2.05
Egg, whites		8.27	Wine, white	1.21
Salmon		8.32	Wine, red	0.59
Egg, whole		11.61	Sherry	0.51
Herring, salted		17.35	Beer		0.28
Shell Fish		19.52	Cocoa		4.79
Egg, yoke		51.83	Chocolate		8.10

CEREALS			DAIRY
Pumpernickel Bread	4.28		Milk, skim	4.89
Whole Wheat		2.66	Milk, sheep	3.27
Brown Rice, (unpolished)		3.18	Cream	2.66
Pastas		5.11	Milk, human	2.25
Cornmeal		5.37	Milk, cow	1.69
Graham Bread		6.13	Buttermilk	1.31
Refined Wheat		8.32	Milk, goat	0.65
Black Bread		8.54	Butter, cow		4.33
Farina		10.00	Lard		4.33
Barley		10.58	Margarine		7.31
Oats		10.58	Cheese		17.49
White Bread		10.99
Rye		11.31
Cakes (white flour)		12.31
White Rice		17.96

Obviously, the best meal you could eat is the one where all foods selected are acid-binding foods. This is definitely the healthiest meal you can eat.

If you must eat any acid-forming food, let it be the smallest portion of the meal. Let the greatest portion of the meal be acid-binding foods. In other words, a good "rule of thumb" to go by is, if 3/4 (three quarters) of the meal is acid-binding, it is a relatively healthy meal. It is also better to only eat one acid-forming food within the same meal. Eating two or more acid-forming foods at the same meal increases the total percentage of acid-forming properties and makes the meal even less healthy.

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