Acid-Alkaline Spices and Herbs Food Chart is a list of acid or alkaline values for common herbs and spices. I explain the values for this food chart, and related charts, in my Basic Acid Alkaline Food Chart Introduction.
Remember: these tables help you make better food choices. But, the only way to confirm they are having the desired effect, is by measuring your urine pH. Fortunately, this is a simple process, using widely available pH test strips or meters.
Acid-Alkaline Spices and Herbs Food Chart
| Food Description | KCals | Very Alkaline | Slightly Alkaline | About Neutral | Slightly Acid | Very Acid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basil, fresh | 27 | -10.01 | ||||
| Capers, canned | 23 | -0.69 | ||||
| Dill weed, fresh | 43 | -15.49 | ||||
| Horseradish, prepared | 48 | -4.87 | ||||
| Mustard, prepared, yellow | 67 | 1.13 | ||||
| Peppermint, fresh | 70 | -12.65 | ||||
| Rosemary, fresh | 131 | -16.45 | ||||
| Salt, table | 0 | -0.50 | ||||
| Spearmint, dried | 285 | -55.42 | ||||
| Spearmint, fresh | 44 | -10.01 | ||||
| Spices, allspice, ground | 263 | -26.86 | ||||
| Spices, anise seed | 337 | -18.17 | ||||
| Spices, basil, dried | 251 | -85.36 | ||||
| Spices, bay leaf | 313 | -17.16 | ||||
| Spices, caraway seed | 333 | -13.33 | ||||
| Spices, cardamom | 311 | -22.57 | ||||
| Spices, celery seed | 392 | -34.71 | ||||
| Spices, chervil, dried | 237 | -92.40 | ||||
| Spices, chili powder | 314 | -31.05 | ||||
| Spices, cinnamon, ground | 261 | -23.75 | ||||
| Spices, cloves, ground | 323 | -31.58 | ||||
| Spices, coriander leaf, dried | 279 | -99.48 | ||||
| Spices, coriander seed | 298 | -23.21 | ||||
| Spices, cumin seed | 375 | -31.97 | ||||
| Spices, curry powder | 325 | -26.10 | ||||
| Spices, dill seed | 305 | -33.19 | ||||
| Spices, dill weed, dried | 253 | -74.51 | ||||
| Spices, fennel seed | 345 | -35.37 | ||||
| Spices, fenugreek seed | 323 | -1.20 | ||||
| Spices, garlic powder | 332 | -2.00 | ||||
| Spices, ginger, ground | 347 | -24.55 | ||||
| Spices, mace, ground | 475 | -9.87 | ||||
| Spices, marjoram, dried | 271 | -49.30 | ||||
| Spices, mustard seed, yellow | 469 | 14.49 | ||||
| Spices, nutmeg, ground | 525 | -3.75 | ||||
| Spices, onion powder | 347 | -10.15 | ||||
| Spices, oregano, dried | 306 | -49.76 | ||||
| Spices, paprika | 289 | -36.33 | ||||
| Spices, parsley, dried | 276 | -81.49 | ||||
| Spices, pepper, black | 255 | -25.39 | ||||
| Spices, pepper, red or cayenne | 318 | -31.44 | ||||
| Spices, pepper, white | 296 | 4.29 | ||||
| Spices, poppy seed | 533 | -1.87 | ||||
| Spices, poultry seasoning | 307 | -22.11 | ||||
| Spices, pumpkin pie spice | 342 | -19.13 | ||||
| Spices, rosemary, dried | 331 | -37.43 | ||||
| Spices, saffron | 310 | -29.58 | ||||
| Spice s, sage, ground |
315 | -46.49 | ||||
| Spices, savory, ground | 272 | -51.11 | ||||
| Spices, tarragon, dried | 295 | -64.51 | ||||
| Spices, thyme, dried | 276 | -35.48 | ||||
| Spices, turmeric, ground | 354 | -46.66 | ||||
| Thyme, fresh | 101 | -15.56 | ||||
| Vanilla extract | 288 | -3.31 | ||||
| Vanilla extract, imitation, alcohol | 237 | -1.35 | ||||
| Vanilla extract, imitation, no alcohol | 56 | -0.05 | ||||
| Vinegar, balsamic | 88 | -2.07 | ||||
| Vinegar, cider | 21 | -1.45 | ||||
| Vinegar, distilled | 18 | 2.0e-03 | ||||
| Vinegar, red wine | 19 | -0.68 |
I used these acid-alkaline foods charts to introduce this food website. These charts are basic. But, my latest charts have more information. And, they are easier to use.
Your Alkaline Spices and Herbs
As this is an old chart, I want to update it for you. But, you’ll need to let me know. As well as improving this chart, I want to help you make healthier food choices. So, what are your experiences with alkaline spices and herbs? I’d love to discuss your questions, experiences, and opinions about all aspects of healthy eating.
If you want me to update this chart, please add your feedback below. Better still, discuss your thoughts about alkaline herbs and spices in my healthy eating forum.
Acid-Alkaline Spices and Herbs Document Change History
To read the document change history, click the Foodary History image on the right.
Do you have suggestions for improving Acid-Alkaline Spices and Herbs? Then, please add your idea to Foodary Suggestion Box. Or, send the Feedback Form, below.
I’m sorry. I don’t understand the numbers in the columns under the headings very and quite etc. Is very more than quite?
Hi K.Lyn,
I’m really sorry about that. In the 5 years of displaying these tables, nobody (including myself) has ever spotted the incongruity of using “quite.”
I forgot about the two different senses of the word, as in “Your comment is quite (completely) amazing” against “My site is quite (to a lesser degree) useful”
I have changed the wording on this page, replacing quite with less. I hope that makes it clearer. I will change other pages as soon as I can get time.
Please note that my description is arbitrary, and has no scientific or nutritional meaning. The correct way to use the tables is:
1. Do a pH test on urine.
2. If pH is too low, look to change your food choices to more alkaline alternatives.
3. Retest pH and repeat
This page is probably least useful in practical terms, as herbs and spices do not usually form a significant part of our diet. But using examples from above, you can see that switching from mustard to cayenne pepper would help our goal.
It is easiest to look first at foods that form a substantial part of our diet. Similarly, it is easiest to change foods in the “Very” columns, reducing acid producing foods and increasing alkaline producing foods, as these will give the biggest improvement for the smallest change.
Never forget that balanced nutrition is important, and your overall diet should stay within national recommendations for protein, carbs, and fat, as well as meeting national targets for vitamins and minerals.
The numbers are only a guide to help you improve your diet. The true test relies on testing urine pH.
I am a chemist with much experience in food laboratories
1. It is impossible to measure pH in powders.
2. Chili powder?? Put it in some water and measure it.
3All of your numbers are incorrect, and if those suffering from Burning Mouth Disease were to follow them you would be scrapping us off the ceiling.
4. Litmus paper is not accurate at all. You need a quick cource in chemistry and a pH meter and then an insurance policy
1. It is impossible to measure pH in powders.
2. Chili powder?? Put it in some water and measure it.
3 all of your numbers are incorrect, and if those suffering from Burning Mouth Disease were to follow them you would be scrapping us off the ceiling.
4. Litmus paper is not accurate at all. You need a quick course in chemistry and a pH meter and then an insurance policy
5 I have an advanced degree in chemistry and chemical engineering and have measured the pH of many things.
Oh dear, Gary!
What is it about chemists that prevent them from considering organic chemistry?
This is about PRAL, which is an estimate of the acid load on your kidneys. Because that estimate has been shown by Remer and others to be a good predictor of the renal acid load. But ultimately, you have to confirm it with a pH test of urine.
Anyway, I’m happy to discuss this with you. But I’ve realized comments are not the best way to discuss these matters. So, I’m hoping you will respond in my Foodary Forum: http://foodary.org/forums/forum/eating-for-health/#new-post
Please accept my apologies for forum confusion. I’ve been trying different formats. But that is now the current healthy eating forum link for 2017.