Is Sugar Acidic or Alkaline?
Neither. Table sugar is neutral, with a PRAL of 0.0 per 100 g, because it contains no minerals and no protein that could shift your acid-base balance.
Why sugar is neutral
The claim that sugar makes you "too acidic" is one of the most persistent myths of the alkaline diet. Refined sugar is pure sucrose. A PRAL value can only come from minerals and protein, and sugar has neither. Brown sugar (−2.1) and molasses (−42.5) contain traces of sugarcane juice, which is why they are alkaline. Maple syrup comes in at −6.2.
The harm from sugar is real, but it works through other pathways: blood sugar, insulin, calories, teeth and fatty liver. None of these has anything to do with your acid-base balance. If you cut back on sugar, you are doing the right thing for the right reasons. "Deacidifying" is not one of those reasons.
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 sugar 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.
Sugar in different forms: raw, cooked, processed
How the PRAL changes with state and product. All values per 100 g or 100 ml.
| Food | PRAL |
|---|---|
| Table sugar (raw) | 0.0 |
| Brown sugar (raw) | −2.1 |
| Powdered sugar (raw) | 0.0 |
| Honey (raw) | −1.2 |
| Maple syrup (raw) | −6.2 |
| Molasses (raw) | −42.5 |
Goes well with
Frequently Asked Questions
Is brown sugar alkaline?
Slightly, at −2.1 per 100 g, because of leftover molasses. In teaspoon amounts, that makes no difference.
Does sugar make your body acidic?
Not through your acid-base balance. Sugar contains neither protein nor phosphorus. Its risks lie in blood sugar and calories.
Sugar 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 sugar & sweeteners compared
All sugar & sweeteners with their PRAL: Sugar & Sweeteners 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.