Are Brussels Sprouts Acidic or Alkaline?
Brussels sprouts (cooked) are alkaline: Negative PRAL: alkalizing after digestion.
Classification
Cooked Brussels sprouts come in at −4.8, slightly less alkaline than fresh (−5.6), because some of the potassium moves into the cooking water. At 47 kcal per 100 g, they remain a light winter vegetable. With roast beef (+12.9), a 200 g serving at about −10 offsets roughly half of 150 g of meat.
In the Vegetables & Salad category, Brussels sprouts (cooked) rank #35 of 110, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Parsnip (−4.9), Swede (rutabaga) (−5.0), Spinach (−5.0). More acid-forming are Radicchio (−4.8), Pointed cabbage (−4.7), Turnip (−4.7).
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.
Brussels sprouts: cooked, fresh
Same food, different state. All values per 100 g.
| State | PRAL |
|---|---|
| fresh | −5.6 |
| cooked | −4.8 |
Goes well with
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Brussels sprouts 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: Brussels sprouts (cooked) have a PRAL of −4.8 per 100 g, so they count as alkaline in your daily acid-base balance.
How much Brussels sprouts do I need for a noticeable effect?
A serving (150 g) of Brussels sprouts adds −7.2 to your daily balance. For comparison: an egg is around +5.4, a slice of cheese around +6. So one serving of Brussels sprouts roughly offsets one of them.
Why are Brussels sprouts alkaline even though they are not typical alkaline foods?
The PRAL depends on the minerals left over after digestion, not on taste or pH. Brussels sprouts provide more potassium, magnesium and calcium than phosphorus and protein, so the balance is negative (−4.8).
Brussels sprouts, cooked or fresh: which is more alkaline?
Brussels sprouts (cooked) is at −4.8, Brussels sprouts (fresh) at −5.6. So the "fresh" version is more alkaline. Differences come from water content, cooking water or concentration during drying.
Brussels Sprouts logged, balance checked.
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Compare all Vegetables & Salad: Vegetables & Salad 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.