Are Breadcrumbs Acidic or Alkaline?
Breadcrumbs (baked) are slightly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Breadcrumbs are dried, ground wheat bread. At +5.0, they sit above fresh white bread (+3.7), because drying removes water and concentrates protein and phosphorus per 100 g. For breading, though, you only need about 20 to 30 g. The schnitzel underneath weighs much more and determines the acid balance of your plate.
In the Grains, Bread & Pasta category, breadcrumbs (baked) rank #64 of 121, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Wholemeal wheat bread (+4.9), White rice (+4.7), Wheat-rye bread (+4.7). More acid-forming are Sprouted wheat (+5.0), Bulgur (durum wheat) (+5.2), Pearled barley (+5.3).
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 breadcrumbs
Two slices (100 g) of breadcrumbs adds +5.0 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are breadcrumbs 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: Breadcrumbs (baked) have a PRAL of +5.0 per 100 g, so they count as slightly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much lamb's lettuce offsets two slices (100 g) of breadcrumbs?
Two slices (100 g) of breadcrumbs adds +5.0 to your daily balance. Lamb's lettuce (fresh) has −8.3 per 100 g, so about 60 g of lamb's lettuce offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid breadcrumbs on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Breadcrumbs are slightly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Breadcrumbs logged, balance checked.
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Compare all Grains, Bread & Pasta: Grains, Bread & Pasta 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.