Italian cuisine has many dishes that are great with pesto, including pasta, chicken, and fish. Pesto is an excellent alternative to tomato or cream sauces, and it has a delightful, piquant flavor and rich aroma.
Traditional pesto has basil, olive oil, garlic, pine nuts, and Parmesan cheese ground into a paste in a mortar and pestle.
It's a delicious accompaniment to many healthy meals. But how well does it fit into the low-acid diet followed by many sufferers of acid reflux, or GERD?
Is Pesto Acidic or Alkaline?
Many of the ingredients are acidic, making pesto acidic, with a pH of around 4.9.
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Seven on the pH scale is neutral, and anything below that is acidic.
Are Acidic Foods Bad for You?
High levels of acid in the body cause acidosis, gastritis, acid reflux, and ulcers.
However, many vegetables (like broccoli) can reduce acidity and lessen its effects on your body.
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Is Pesto Good for You?
The basil and garlic in pesto are excellent sources of antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, which flush out free radicals, preventing oxidative damage.
Pesto's main ingredient, basil, contains up to 1 mg of vitamin C in 2 tablespoons. Pesto made with extra virgin olive oil contains nearly 13% of the recommended daily vitamin E intake in a tablespoon.
Pesto is high in fat and calories but contains good amounts of iron, calcium, potassium, and manganese.
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