Is Apricot Acidic or Alkaline?
Apricot (fresh) is strongly alkaline: Negative PRAL: alkalizing after digestion.
Classification
Fresh apricots are high in water and bring a lot of potassium for their size, hence the clearly alkaline value of −7.2 at only 42 kcal. That is a much stronger alkalizing effect than an apple has. Two or three apricots for dessert already offset a good part of a slice of cheese. Dried, the effect grows even stronger, because the water is gone and the potassium stays.
In the Fruit category, apricot (fresh) ranks #20 of 80, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Jackfruit (−7.7), Date (−7.8), Durian (−7.8). More acid-forming are Banana (−6.4), Black currant (−5.5), Cantaloupe (−5.4).
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is apricot 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: Apricot (fresh) has a PRAL of −7.2 per 100 g, so it counts as strongly alkaline in your daily acid-base balance.
How much apricot do I need for a noticeable effect?
One piece or a handful (120 g) of apricot adds −8.7 to your daily balance. For comparison: an egg is around +5.4, a slice of cheese around +6. So one serving of apricot roughly offsets one of them.
Why is apricot alkaline even though it tastes sour?
The PRAL depends on the minerals left over after digestion, not on taste or pH. Apricot provides more potassium, magnesium and calcium than phosphorus and protein, so the balance is negative (−7.2).
Apricot logged, balance checked.
Basentracker adds up every meal automatically and shows whether your day is in the alkaline range. The same values as on this page, all 977 foods, photo scan, recipes.
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Compare all Fruit: Fruit 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.