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Usage Note

• Foods are color coded: Green for alkaline or low-acid foods and Red for acidic foods.
• The larger the PRAL magnitude, the more alkaline or acidic the food is.
• This database contains the PRAL values and acidity ratings for 6,941 foods.
• Abbreviations: Pro = Protein, Pho = Phosphorus, Pot = Potassium, Mag = Magnesium, Cal = Calcium.
• Phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and calcium values are in mg and calculated per 100g of food weight.
• Protein value is in grams and calculated per 100g of food weight.
• Pie chart shows relative contributions to total calories from carbohydrate, protein and fat (and alcohol, if exists).
• The mineral and vitamin charts show the relative contents of minerals and vitamins of each food. The higher the bubble, the higher mineral or vitamin content a food has relative to other foods. The larger the bubble, the greater the mineral or vitamin content relative to the Recommended Daily Allowances.

National Institutes of Health: Spicy and acidic foods do not cause peptic ulcer. But they can worsen the symptoms and slow the healing.
This food database has alkaline and acid ratings of nearly 7,000 foods to help you choose foods for a peptic ulcer diet. The PRAL rating (described at bottom of webpage) is color-coded with RED to indicate acidic foods. The higher the value of the rating, the higher the acidity.

What is a peptic ulcer?

information from the National Institutes of Health

A peptic ulcer is a sore on the lining of the stomach or duodenum, the beginning of the small intestine. Less commonly, a peptic ulcer may develop just above the stomach in the esophagus, the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach.

A peptic ulcer in the stomach is called a gastric ulcer. One that occurs in the duodenum is called a duodenal ulcer. People can have both gastric and duodenal ulcers at the same time. They also can develop peptic ulcers more than once in their lifetime.

Peptic ulcers are common. Each year in the United States, about half a million people develop a peptic ulcer.

What causes peptic ulcers?

A bacterium called Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a major cause of peptic ulcers. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin and ibuprofen, are another common cause. Rarely, cancerous or noncancerous tumors in the stomach, duodenum, or pancreas cause ulcers.

Peptic ulcers are not caused by stress or eating spicy food, but both can make ulcer symptoms worse. Smoking and drinking alcohol also can worsen ulcers and prevent healing.

What are the symptoms of a peptic ulcer?

Abdominal discomfort is the most common symptom of both duodenal and gastric ulcers. Felt anywhere between the navel and the breastbone, this discomfort usually

• is a dull or burning pain
• occurs when the stomach is empty—between meals or during the night
• may be briefly relieved by eating food, in the case of duodenal ulcers, or by taking antacids, in both types of peptic ulcers
• lasts for minutes to hours
• comes and goes for several days or weeks

Other symptoms include

• weight loss
• poor appetite
• bloating
• burping
• nausea
• vomiting

Diet and nutrition in peptic ulcer disease

Peptic ulcer patients should avoid any spice that causes discomfort, especially during exacerbation of peptic disease. Currently, studies indicate that it is prudent to avoid alcohol. This is especially true for the concentrated forms, such as 40% (80 proof) alcohol. Coffee should be avoided on the basis of its strong acid secretagogue property. Coffee can induce dyspepsia. Whether noncoffee caffeine-containing beverages (tea, soft drinks) induce peptic ulcer is unknown, but they are acid secretion stimulators. Decaffeinated coffee has an acid stimulating effect as well. It is reasonable to have peptic ulcer patients restrict decaffeinated coffee and all caffeine-containing beverages. There appears to be no evidence to restrict dietary fiber. Some fiber-containing foods may possess factors that are protective against ulcer disease. Citric acid juices may induce reflux and cause discomfort in selective patients.
NIH Research on Diet & Nutrition in Ulcer Disease

What is PRAL: Potential Renal Acid Load?

PRAL value is calculated from a formula developed by Thomas Remer and other researchers at the Department of Nutrition and Health, the Research Institute of Child Nutrition, Dortmund, Germany, to assess the acidity of foods and diets.

PRAL formula:

PRAL = 0.49 x protein + 0.037 x phosphorus - 0.021 x potassium - 0.026 x magnesium - 0.013 x calcium

Detailed information about PRAL at The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: PRAL Research

Today, there is a general consensus that diet can markedly affect acid-base status and that a person’s acid load can be specifically manipulated by dietary means. An established method of estimating acid loads of foods or diets is by calculating the potential renal acid load (PRAL). PRAL provides an estimate of the production of endogenous acid that exceeds the level of alkali produced for given amounts of foods ingested daily. The concept of PRAL calculation is physiologically based and takes into account different intestinal absorption rates of individual minerals and of sulfurcontaining protein, as well as the amount of sulfate produced from metabolized proteins. This method of calculation was experimentally validated in healthy adults, and it showed that, under controlled conditions, acid loads and renal net acid excretion (NAE) can be reliably estimated from diet composition.

List of the Most Acidic Foods

This acidity ranking on this list is based on the PRAL formula described above: the higher the PRAL value, the more acidic the food.

The Most Acidic Foods based on PRAL formula

PRAL value

Leavening agents, baking powder, double-acting, straight phosphate

270

Puddings, all flavors except chocolate, low calorie, instant, dry mix

85

Gelatin desserts, dry mix, reduced calorie, with aspartame, no added sodium

75

Soy protein isolate, PROTEIN TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL, SUPRO

69

Soy protein isolate

63

Gelatin desserts, dry mix, reduced calorie, with aspartame

55

Soy protein concentrate, crude protein basis (N x 6.25), produced by acid wash

44

Gelatins, dry powder, unsweetened

42

Soy protein concentrate, produced by acid wash

42

Egg, yolk, dried

42

Vital wheat gluten

42

Egg, whole, dried

40

Seeds, sunflower seed kernels, oil roasted, without salt

37

Seeds, sunflower seed kernels, toasted, with salt added

37

Seeds, sunflower seed kernels, oil roasted, with salt added

37

Seeds, sunflower seed kernels, toasted, without salt

37

Seeds, sunflower seed flour, partially defatted

37

Whale, beluga, meat, dried (Alaska Native)

36

Milk, dry, nonfat, calcium reduced

35

Egg, whole, dried, stabilized, glucose reduced

35

Soy protein isolate, potassium type, crude protein basis

35

Tofu, dried-frozen (koyadofu)

35

Smelt, dried (Alaska Native)

35

Steelhead trout, dried, flesh (Shoshone Bannock)

35

Seeds, sesame flour, low-fat

34

Fish, whitefish, dried (Alaska Native)

34

Puddings, chocolate flavor, low calorie, instant, dry mix

33

Soy protein isolate, potassium type

32

Fish, salmon, chum, dried (Alaska Native)

32

The Most Acidic Foods based on PRAL formula

PRAL value

Snacks, pork skins, barbecue-flavor

32

Salmon, red (sockeye), filets with skin, smoked (Alaska Native)

31

Caribou, shoulder meat, dried (Alaska Native)

31

Fish, cod, Atlantic, dried and salted

30

Seeds, sunflower seed kernels, dry roasted, with salt added

30

Snacks, pork skins, plain

30

Cereals ready-to-eat, WAFFELOS

30

Seeds, sunflower seed kernels, dry roasted, without salt

30

Seeds, safflower seed meal, partially defatted

30

Cheese, pasteurized process, swiss, low fat

30

Cheese, pasteurized process, cheddar or American, fat-free

30

Puddings, banana, dry mix, instant

29

Seeds, sesame flour, partially defatted

29

Puddings, banana, dry mix, instant, with added oil

29

Cheese, pasteurized process, American, low fat

29

Cheese, parmesan, low sodium

29

Puddings, lemon, dry mix, instant

28

Cereals ready-to-eat, wheat germ, toasted, plain

28

Cheese, parmesan, grated

28

Cheese, goat, hard type

28

Seal, bearded (Oogruk), meat, partially dried (Alaska Native)

28

Seeds, pumpkin and squash seed kernels, roasted, without salt

27

Veal, variety meats and by-products, pancreas, cooked, braised

27

Cheese, romano

27

Seeds, pumpkin and squash seed kernels, roasted, with salt added

27

Seeds, pumpkin and squash seed kernels, dried

27

Cheese spread, pasteurized process, American

27

Caribou, rump meat, half dried (Alaska Native)

27

Cheese, pasteurized process, pimento

26

Cheese, parmesan, shredded

26

Fish, roe, mixed species, cooked, dry heat

26

The Most Acidic Foods based on PRAL formula

PRAL value

Puddings, vanilla, dry mix, instant

26

Pork, cured, bacon, cooked, pan-fried

26

Cheese, pasteurized process, cheddar or American, low sodium

26

Pork, cured, bacon, cooked, microwaved

25

Cheese product, pasteurized process, American, reduced fat, fortified with vitamin D

25

Cheese, parmesan, hard

25

Cheese, pasteurized process, swiss

25

Pork, cured, bacon, cooked, broiled, pan-fried or roasted

25

Puddings, coconut cream, dry mix, instant

25

Cereals ready-to-eat, QUAKER, KRETSCHMER Wheat Germ, Regular

25

Beef, variety meats and by-products, liver, cooked, braised

25

Lamb, variety meats and by-products, liver, cooked, braised

25

Seeds, sesame flour, high-fat

25

Cheese product, pasteurized process, cheddar, reduced fat

25

Pork, cured, bacon, cooked, broiled, pan-fried or roasted, reduced sodium

25

Beef, variety meats and by-products, pancreas, cooked, braised

24

Seeds, sesame butter, tahini, type of kernels unspecified

24

Pork, cured, bacon, cooked, baked

24

Egg Mix, USDA Commodity

24

Veal, variety meats and by-products, thymus, cooked, braised

24

Cheese, mozzarella, nonfat

24

Veal, variety meats and by-products, liver, cooked, pan-fried

23

Beef, variety meats and by-products, liver, cooked, pan-fried

23

Egg substitute, powder

23

Cheese, low fat, cheddar or colby

23

Veal, variety meats and by-products, liver, cooked, braised

23

Cereals ready-to-eat, QUAKER, KRETSCHMER Honey Crunch Wheat Germ

22

USDA Commodity, Bakery, Flour Mix Low-fat

22

USDA Commodity, Bakery, Flour Mix

22

Chicken, liver, all classes, cooked, pan-fried

22

Veal, variety meats and by-products, kidneys, cooked, braised

22

The Most Acidic Foods based on PRAL formula

PRAL value

Leavening agents, yeast, baker's, active dry

22

KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN, Biscuit, analyzed prior to January 2007

22

Cornmeal, self-rising, bolted, plain, enriched, white

22

Moose, liver, braised (Alaska Native)

22

Turkey bacon, cooked

22

Cornmeal, self-rising, bolted, plain, enriched, yellow

22

Chicken, meatless

22

Fruit-flavored drink, dry powdered mix, low calorie, with aspartame

22

Emu, full rump, cooked, broiled

21

Beef, variety meats and by-products, kidneys, cooked, simmered

21

Seeds, cottonseed flour, low fat (glandless)

21

Seeds, cottonseed meal, partially defatted (glandless)

21

Cheese, gruyere

21

Pancakes, buckwheat, dry mix, incomplete

21

Cheese, swiss

21

Parmesan cheese topping, fat free

21

Chicken, liver, all classes, cooked, simmered

21

Cheese, swiss, low sodium

21

Imitation cheese, american or cheddar, low cholesterol

21

Babyfood, baked product, finger snacks cereal

21

Cheese, american cheddar, imitation

21

Cheese, mozzarella, low sodium

21

Cheese, swiss, low fat

21

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