Is Beer Acidic or Alkaline?
Nearly neutral. Beer has a PRAL of −0.4 per 100 ml, so it plays no role in your acid-base balance, though it does matter for your liver and your calorie balance.
Why beer is neutral
Beer contains potassium from malt and hops and hardly any protein or phosphorus. That gives it a slightly negative PRAL. Alcohol-free beer is level with it at −0.4. Half a liter works out to −2.1, about the same as a small apple.
That is not an argument for beer, though. Alcohol strains your liver and your sleep, provides empty calories and flushes minerals out of your body. The PRAL only rates the mineral balance. If you drink beer, you don't need to cut it out because of being "too acidic," but you should keep it moderate for every other reason.
Acidic or alkaline: PRAL, not pH
The PRAL (potential renal acid load) estimates what a food leaves behind after digestion. It is not the pH of the food itself: a lemon tastes sour, yet its PRAL is −4.0. If you are asking whether beer is acidic because of heartburn or reflux, that is a question of pH and your stomach, which the PRAL does not measure; talk to your doctor about it.
Beer in different forms: raw, cooked, processed
How the PRAL changes with state and product. All values per 100 g or 100 ml.
| Food | PRAL |
|---|---|
| Beer (prepared) | −0.4 |
| Alcohol-free beer (prepared) | −0.4 |
| Red wine (prepared) | −1.6 |
| White wine (prepared) | −1.0 |
Goes well with
Frequently Asked Questions
Is wine more alkaline than beer?
Slightly: red wine −1.6, white wine −1.0, beer −0.4 per 100 ml. Red wine contains more potassium from the grape skins.
Why is alcohol said to make your body too acidic?
Because it puts a strain on your mineral balance and kidney function. That is a different mechanism from the dietary acid load that the PRAL measures.
Beer and everything else on your plate: calculated automatically.
Basentracker adds up the PRAL of every meal and shows whether your day is in the alkaline range. Over 950 foods, photo scan, recipes, free.
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More drinks compared
All drinks with their PRAL: Drinks table. Back to the overview Acidic or Alkaline?, or put together a meal in the PRAL calculator.
Source: Basentracker food database (PRAL according to Remer & Manz, calculated from protein, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and calcium per 100 g). This information does not replace medical advice.