Is Beef Tenderloin Acidic or Alkaline?
Beef tenderloin (raw) is acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Even fine beef tenderloin is acid-forming. Raw, it comes in at +8.7, because this tender, lean cut provides a lot of protein and phosphorus but hardly any potassium. A 180 g medallion puts about +16 on your plate. If you eat roasted vegetables or herb potatoes with it, you offset part of that. Béarnaise sauce or cheese on top add to the acid load.
In the Meat & Sausages category, beef tenderloin (raw) ranks #25 of 67, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Beef steak (sirloin) (+8.7), Lamb chop (+8.6), Pork chop (+8.5). More acid-forming are Chicken, whole (with skin) (+8.9), Beef, general (+9.0), Roast beef (+9.2).
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 tenderloin
A serving (125 g) of beef tenderloin adds +10.9 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is beef tenderloin 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 tenderloin (raw) has a PRAL of +8.7 per 100 g, so it counts as acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much spinach offsets a serving (125 g) of beef tenderloin?
A serving (125 g) of beef tenderloin adds +10.9 to your daily balance. Spinach (fresh) has −12.2 per 100 g, so about 90 g of spinach offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid beef tenderloin on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Beef tenderloin is acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Beef Tenderloin logged, balance checked.
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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.