Is Wine Acidic or Alkaline?
Mildly alkaline by PRAL: red wine −1.6, white wine −1.0 per 100 ml. But alcohol strains your body in other ways, so the PRAL isn't the whole story here.
Why wine is alkaline
Wine contains potassium from the grapes and hardly any protein or phosphorus. Red wine is more alkaline than white wine because it is fermented with the grape skins. On paper, a glass of red wine adds −2.4 to your daily balance, and a glass of white wine adds −1.6.
The PRAL only rates the mineral balance. Alcohol inhibits the kidneys' reabsorption of minerals, disrupts your sleep and supplies calories: 70 kcal per 100 ml for red wine. Wine can't "improve" an alkaline diet. If you drink, do so in moderation despite the negative PRAL.
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 wine 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.
Wine in different forms: raw, cooked, processed
How the PRAL changes with state and product. All values per 100 g or 100 ml.
| Food | PRAL |
|---|---|
| Red wine (prepared) | −1.6 |
| White wine (prepared) | −1.0 |
| Wine spritzer (prepared) | −0.6 |
| Sparkling wine (dry) (prepared) | −0.7 |
Goes well with
Frequently Asked Questions
Is red wine more alkaline than white wine?
Yes, −1.6 versus −1.0 per 100 ml, thanks to the potassium from the grape skins.
Is sparkling wine acidic?
No, it's just barely alkaline, at −0.7 per 100 ml. As with all alcoholic drinks, that tells you nothing about how well you tolerate it.
Wine 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.