The word “mucusless,” or mucus-free, refers to foods that are not pus or mucus-forming inside the human body. Such foods digest without leaving behind a thick, viscous, slimy substance called mucus in the gastrointestinal tract. These foods include all kinds of fat-free, and starchless, fruits and vegetables. The term was coined in the early 1900s by dietitian and healer Prof. Arnold Ehret in his book the Mucusless Diet Healing System. The Mucusless Diet consists of all kinds of raw and cooked fruits, starchless vegetables, and cooked or raw, mostly green-leaf vegetables. The Mucusless Diet as a Healing System is a combination of individually advised long and short-term fasts, menus that progressively change to non-mucus-forming raw foods, and other therepies such as sun-bathing, exercise, colon irrigation, etc. Ehret observes that the accumulation of uneliminated waste materials by eating pus, mucus, and acid-forming foods, is the foundation of human illness.
The following list is certainly not exhaustive, but these are some of the most common mucusless (mucus-free) foods. Eating more of these foods in the right combinations is an important part of transitioning toward a mucus-free diet.
ACID-BINDING, NON-MUCUS-FORMING, OR MUCUSLESS
(MUCUS-FREE) FOODS
GREEN LEAF VEGETABLES (MUCUSLESS)
- Arugula
- Bok Choi
- Cabbage
- Collard
- Dandelion Leaf
- Kale
- Leafy Herbs (Basil, Parsley, Cilantro, Rosemary, Thyme, etc.)
- Lettuce (Green, Red, Romaine, Boston Bibb, Iceberg)
- Mustard
- Spinach
- Swiss chard
- Turnip
- Watercress
RAW VEGETABLES/ROOT, STEM, FRUIT (ALL OR RELATIVELY STARCHLESS/MUCUSLESS)
- Asparagus
- Black Radish, with skin
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
- Celery
- Cucumbers
- Dandelion
- Dill
- Endives
- Green Onions
- Horse Radish, with skin
- Leeks
- Onions (mildly acidic but okay on the transition diet)
- Peppers (Green, Red, Yellow, or Orange)
- Red Beets
- Red Cabbage
- Rhubarb
- Sea Vegetables
- Sprouts (Alfalfa, Brassica, Green-Leaf, Radish)
- Sugar Beets
- Tomatoes
- Young Radish
- Zucchini
BAKED VEGETABLES ROOT, STEM, FRUIT (ALL OR RELATIVELY STARCHLESS/MUCUSLESS)
- Acorn Squash (Baked)
- Asparagus
- Broccoli (Baked or Steamed)
- Brussels Sprouts (Steamed)
- Butternut Squash (Baked)
- Carrots (Steamed)
- Cauliflower (Steamed or Baked)
- Green Peas (Steamed)
- Peppers (Green, Red, Yellow, or Orange)
- Peppers (Green, Red, Yellow, or Orange)
- Pumpkins (Baked or Steamed)
- Spaghetti Squash (Baked)
- Sweet Potato (Baked)
- Zucchini (Steamed or Baked)
RIPE FRUITS (MUCUSLESS)
- Apples
- Apricots
- Banana
- Black Cherries
- Blackberries
- Blood Orange
- Cantaloupe
- Cherries
- Grapefruit
- Grapes
- Honeybell Tangelos
- Honeydew
- Lemons
- Mandarin
- Mangos
- Nectarine
- Oranges
- Peaches
- Pears
- Pineapple
- Plums
- Pomegranates
- Prunes
- Raisins
- Raspberries
- Sour Cherries
- Strawberries
- Sweet Cherries
- Sweet Cherries
- Tangerines
- Tangerines
- Watermelon
DRIED OR BAKED FRUITS (MUCUSLESS)
- Apples
- Apricots
- Bananas
- Blueberries
- Cherries
- Cranberries
- Currants
- Currants, (Dried)
- Dates
- Dates, (Dried)
- Figs
- Figs (Dried)
- Grapes/raisins
- Kiwi
- Mango
- Peaches
- Pears
- Pineapple
- Plums/prunes
- Strawberries
100% FRUIT JELLIES, SYRUPS, AND HONEY
- Agave Nectar
- Fruit Jellies (no sugar added)
- Maple Syrup (100%, no preservatives)
- Molasses (no preservatives)
- Honey (bee)
The Transition Diet
It is very important that people learn how to transition from the most harmful mucus-forming foods to the ones that leave behind the least amount of waste. Many people mistakenly believe that Ehret’s work is inherently, or only, raw-foodism or fruitarianism. Yet Ehret emphasizes moving away from all mucus-forming foods above all else. Although the highest levels of the Mucusless Diet are raw mucus-free foods, Ehret advocates using cooked mucusless foods, and even some mildly mucus-forming items, when necessary during the Transition Diet. To learn more about this transitional process, check out Arnold Ehret’s Mucusless Diet Healing System: Annotated, Revised, and Edited by Prof. Spira.