Is Beef Acidic or Alkaline?
Beef, general (raw) is acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
On average, beef comes in at +9.0, because muscle meat contains a lot of protein and phosphorus but little potassium. The value varies with the cut and how it is cooked: braised roast beef is at +12.9, fried beef mince at +12.1, and goulash with vegetables at only +3.5. At 124 kcal per 100 g, average raw beef is fairly lean.
In the Meat & Sausages category, beef (raw) ranks #27 of 67, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Chicken, whole (with skin) (+8.9), Beef tenderloin (+8.7), Beef steak (sirloin) (+8.7). More acid-forming are Roast beef (+9.2), Lamb fillet (+9.3), Pork tenderloin (+9.3).
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 beef
A serving (125 g) of beef adds +11.3 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is beef 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: Beef, general (raw) has a PRAL of +9.0 per 100 g, so it counts as acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much lamb's lettuce offsets a serving (125 g) of beef?
A serving (125 g) of beef adds +11.3 to your daily balance. Lamb's lettuce (fresh) has −8.3 per 100 g, so about 140 g of lamb's lettuce offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid beef on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Beef, general is acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Beef, General 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 Meat & Sausages: Meat & Sausages 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.