Are Potato Chips Acidic or Alkaline?
Alkaline, and strongly so: by PRAL, potato chips come in at −17.0 per 100 g, more than fresh spinach (−12.2). That doesn't make them healthy, because the value only measures the mineral balance.
Why potato chips are alkaline
Potatoes are rich in potassium, and frying drives off almost all of their water. The potassium stays behind and becomes more concentrated per 100 g: boiled potatoes sit at −6.5, potato chips at −17.0. Seasoning doesn't change this. Paprika-flavored and sour cream & onion chips are just as alkaline, and sweet potato chips come in at −15.0. Snacks made from corn or wheat, on the other hand, are acid-forming: tortilla chips +2.2, pretzel sticks +5.4, peanut flips +8.0.
Fat, salt and calories are not part of the PRAL, and 100 g of potato chips has 526 kcal. Per 100 kcal, fresh spinach is about 20 times as alkaline as chips. A 30 g handful gives you −5.1 for 158 kcal, while a 100 g carrot delivers −6.3 for 40 kcal.
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 potato chips are 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.
Potato Chips in different forms: raw, cooked, processed
How the PRAL changes with state and product. All values per 100 g or 100 ml.
| Food | PRAL |
|---|---|
| Potato chips naturale (fried) | −17.0 |
| Potato chips (plain) (prepared) | −17.0 |
| Potato chips (paprika flavor) (prepared) | −17.0 |
| Potato chips (sour cream & onion) (prepared) | −17.0 |
| Sweet potato chips (prepared) | −15.0 |
| Tortilla chips (prepared) | +2.2 |
| Pretzel sticks (prepared) | +5.4 |
| Peanut flips (prepared) | +8.0 |
Goes well with
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are potato chips more alkaline than potatoes?
Because frying drives off the water. The potassium stays, its share per 100 g goes up, and the PRAL drops from −6.5 (boiled) to −17.0.
Are tortilla chips acidic?
Yes, mildly. They are acid-forming at +2.2 per 100 g. Corn brings protein and phosphorus and less potassium than potatoes.
Potato Chips and everything else on your plate: calculated automatically.
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More sweets & snacks compared
All sweets & snacks with their PRAL: Sweets & Snacks 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.