Is Beef Jerky Acidic or Alkaline?
Beef jerky (prepared) is strongly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Beef jerky is dried beef, and drying removes only water. The protein stays and is concentrated into a fraction of the weight, hence the very high value of +17.2, not far from hard cheese. As a protein snack at 410 kcal per 100 g, that's efficient. For your acid-base balance, though, dried apricots in your hiking pack are the gentler choice.
In the Meat & Sausages category, beef jerky (prepared) ranks #67 of 67, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Pork liver (+16.3), Beef liver (+14.6), Salami (+14.5).
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 jerky
A serving (125 g) of beef jerky adds +21.5 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is beef jerky 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 jerky (prepared) has a PRAL of +17.2 per 100 g, so it counts as strongly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much spinach offsets a serving (125 g) of beef jerky?
A serving (125 g) of beef jerky adds +21.5 to your daily balance. Spinach (fresh) has −12.2 per 100 g, so about 180 g of spinach offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid beef jerky on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Beef jerky is strongly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Beef Jerky 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.