Is Almond Butter Acidic or Alkaline?
Almond butter (prepared) is slightly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Almond butter is acid-forming at +3.7 because ground almonds bring protein and phosphorus that magnesium and potassium don't quite offset. Whole almonds are actually much higher per 100 g. At 559 kcal per 100 g, you eat it by the spoonful. A 15 g tablespoon adds about +0.6.
In the Nuts & Seeds category, almond butter (prepared) ranks #12 of 29, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Pistachios (+2.7), Pecans (+2.0), Roasted pistachios (salted) (+1.6). More acid-forming are Sesame seeds (+3.9), Flaxseeds (+4.2), Walnuts (+5.6).
Acidic or alkaline: PRAL, not pH
On this site, acidic and alkaline refer to the PRAL (potential renal acid load). It estimates what a food leaves behind once it has been digested: a positive value is acid-forming, a negative value is alkalizing. That is different from the pH of the food itself: a lemon tastes sour, yet its PRAL is −4.0, so it is alkalizing. Your diet does not change your blood pH. It does change how much acid your kidneys have to deal with.
What balances almond butter
A handful (30 g) of almond butter adds +1.1 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is almond butter acidic?
It depends on what you mean by acidic. The pH describes the food itself, for example how sour it tastes. The PRAL describes what it leaves behind after digestion: Almond butter (prepared) has a PRAL of +3.7 per 100 g, so it counts as slightly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much avocado offsets a handful (30 g) of almond butter?
A handful (30 g) of almond butter adds +1.1 to your daily balance. Avocado (ripe) has −9.9 per 100 g, so about 10 g of avocado offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid almond butter on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Almond butter is slightly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Almond Butter logged, balance checked.
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Compare all Nuts & Seeds: Nuts & Seeds table. Common questions are answered in Acidic or Alkaline?, and the PRAL calculator adds up a whole meal.
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.