Blueberries are an incredibly popular fruity because they are sweet, delicious, and easy to access. They are full of great nutrients and great to eat if you crave something sweet but want to keep your diet healthy.
If you are looking into blueberries a bit more, you might wonder if they are considered an acidic food. You have probably encountered a few different answers to this question in your search, but we are here to help and give you a solid answer.
If you want to know how acidic blueberries are, read on to learn everything you need.
Are Blueberries Acidic?
The short answer to this question is yes, blueberries are acidic. If you are following a strict low-acid diet, then it’s in your best interest to avoid eating them.
Blueberries have quite a low pH range, which falls between 3.0 and 5.0, so they are considered acidic.
They may be acidic, but you should know that blueberries do not trigger things like acid reflux or even heartburn, so if you’re worried that eating them will increase stomach acid and cause the above symptoms, you definitely don’t have to worry about that!
The only thing you should be mindful of is that they can trigger heartburn and acid reflux if consumed in large quantities, so make sure that you only eat them in small portions if this is an issue for you. Eat your blueberries in moderation.
Why Are Blueberries Acidic?
Blueberries are acidic because they are rich in arginine, citrus, and ascorbic acids.
While their pH level can be between 3.0 and 5.0, most blueberries fall somewhere between the 3.11 and 3.35 pH balance, making them very acidic.
In general, citrus is considered one of the most acidic things, and the citric acid found in blueberries makes up 77 to 87% of the fruit’s organic acid.
The acidity level and quantity in blueberries can change depending on how they are stored, and things like oxygen level, light level, and temperature all play a role in how acidic they are.
Is Blueberry Juice Acidic?
If you enjoy fresh blueberry juice, you probably wonder if that is also considered acidic. Unfortunately, blueberry juice is incredibly acidic, so if you didn’t know that already, you may want to adjust how much blueberry juice you consume.
It has the same pH level as blueberries in their normal form but lacks the fiber that the fruit has. This fiber absorbs stomach acid, making the juice much more acidic and leading to acid reflux or even heartburn if consumed too regularly.
As much as you may enjoy drinking blueberry juice, consuming the fruit in its natural form is much safer and healthier. The same can be said for things like blueberry jam because they are acidic and filled with grams of sugar. Fresh blueberries are the way to go.
Can You Reduce The Acidity in Blueberries?
You might be worried that you will have to completely cut blueberries out of your diet now you know how acidic they are, but luckily, there are a few ways in which you can reduce their acidity!
The best thing you can do to reduce blueberries’ acidity is to pair them with alkaline foods.
Anything over 7 in pH levels is considered alkaline, so when looking for the best foods and ingredients to pair them with, check their pH levels and ensure they are over 7.
Some examples of great alkaline foods you can pair with blueberries to balance their acidity levels include:
- Tofu – pH level 7
- Coconut milk – pH level 6.5
- Coconut water – pH level 6.5 – 7
- Olives (fresh) – pH level 8
- Almonds – pH level 6.9
- Herbal tea – pH level 6 – 7
- Soybeans – pH level 6 -7
- Fresh milk – pH level 6.7
- Potatoes – pH level 5.6 – 6
- Lettuce – pH level 6 – 7
Plenty of other foods and ingredients pair perfectly with blueberries to balance the acidity, but this list is a great starting point.
Blueberries are incredibly nutritious, so cutting them completely out of your diet isn’t in your best interest, even if they are quite acidic.
Are Blueberries Healthy?
Though they are quite acidic, blueberries are actually incredibly healthy. They are rich in nutrition and low in calories, so if you are trying to maintain or lose weight, they are a great food to bring into your diet.
Blueberries are also 85% water, so they are perfect if you are dehydrated you want to eat something rather than drink a glass of water.
Blueberries are also completely fat-free, so you can enjoy them as a sweet treat when you have sugar cravings without feeling guilty about it.
Blueberries are, unfortunately, quite acidic, but the health benefits of blueberries heavily outweigh this downside.
When you pair blueberries with the right foods and ingredients with great alkaline levels, you can still enjoy them as part of your diet without worrying about acid reflux and heartburn.
Final Thoughts
So yes, blueberries are incredibly acidic and classified as acidic fruits, with a pH level between 3.0 and 5.0 (if you want to grow blueberries, find out how to make the soil acidic here). When consumed in large amounts, they can trigger things like acid reflux and heartburn, but they are still considered incredibly healthy.
If you are on a low-acid diet or concerned about triggering any acid-related health problems, don’t worry!
You can still consume blueberries; watch how many you have at once, and pairing them with other foods will dramatically reduce the acidic problems.
Blueberries are one of the healthier foods you can eat, so it’s better to keep them in your diet and have a couple of grams of blueberries when possible. Go ahead and enjoy a juicy blueberry today.
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