Is Tea Acidic or Alkaline?
Neutral. Herbal tea comes in at −0.3, green tea at −0.2 and black tea at −0.3 per 100 ml, so no type of tea really shifts your balance.
Why tea is neutral
Tea is more than 99% water. The few minerals that pass from the leaves and herbs into the water, mainly potassium, give it a slightly negative PRAL. Black tea lands slightly more alkaline than green tea because fermented leaves release more potassium.
The difference between types makes no real difference to your daily balance. One cup comes to −0.5 to −0.8. You drink tea for fluid, warmth, flavor and, depending on the type, for plant compounds. "Alkaline tea" from the pharmacy is ordinary herbal tea with a different label.
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 tea 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.
Tea in different forms: raw, cooked, processed
How the PRAL changes with state and product. All values per 100 g or 100 ml.
| Food | PRAL |
|---|---|
| Herbal tea (prepared) | −0.3 |
| Green tea (prepared) | −0.2 |
| Black tea (prepared) | −0.3 |
| Iced tea (lemon, sweetened) (prepared) | −0.2 |
Goes well with
Frequently Asked Questions
Is herbal tea alkaline?
It is practically neutral (−0.3 per 100 ml). "Alkaline teas" show no measurable difference.
Is green tea acidic?
No, it is −0.2 per 100 ml. It is neither acid-forming nor alkaline to any meaningful degree.
Tea 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.
Free for Android · iPhone coming soon
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.