Is Spelt Acidic or Alkaline?
Acid-forming, like every grain: whole spelt kernels come in at +9.3 per 100 g, spelt bread at +6.1 and cooked spelt pasta at +3.7. Spelt is no more alkaline than wheat.
Why spelt is acid-forming
Alkaline diet guides often call spelt the "better" grain. The minerals give no basis for that: whole spelt flour comes in at +10.5, whole wheat flour at +6.3. Both are high in phosphorus and protein and clearly acid-forming. Spelt is a type of wheat, not its opposite.
One slice of spelt bread adds +3.1. That is moderate and easy to offset with an avocado topping or a whole tomato. If you tolerate spelt better or simply prefer it, you have good reasons to eat it, just not an acid-base reason. For your balance, the topping counts more than the grain.
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 spelt 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.
Spelt in different forms: raw, cooked, processed
How the PRAL changes with state and product. All values per 100 g or 100 ml.
| Food | PRAL |
|---|---|
| Spelt, whole kernel (raw) | +9.3 |
| Spelt bread (baked) | +6.1 |
| Spelt pasta (cooked) | +3.7 |
| Spelt flour type 630 (raw) | +7.3 |
| Whole spelt flour (raw) | +10.5 |
| Wholemeal bread (baked) | +2.6 |
Alkaline foods that balance it
Frequently Asked Questions
Is spelt more alkaline than wheat?
No, if anything it's the opposite: whole spelt flour has +10.5 and whole wheat flour +6.3 per 100 g. Still, taste and tolerance are what should guide your choice.
Is any bread alkaline?
No grain bread is alkaline. The mildest is buckwheat bread at +0.2 per 100 g, followed by crispbread (+1.6) and pumpernickel (+2.3).
Spelt and everything else on your plate: calculated automatically.
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More grains, bread & pasta compared
All grains, bread & pasta with their PRAL: Grains, Bread & Pasta 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.