Is Bulgur (Durum Wheat) Acidic or Alkaline?
Bulgur (durum wheat) (cooked) is slightly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Cooked bulgur sits at +3.1, raw at +5.2. The durum wheat protein survives cooking, but the grain absorbs water and spreads the acid load over more weight. At 152 kcal per 100 g, it's a filling side dish. As tabbouleh with lots of parsley, tomato, cucumber and lemon, the whole bowl moves clearly toward neutral.
In the Grains, Bread & Pasta category, bulgur (durum wheat) (cooked) ranks #37 of 121, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Oat bread (+3.0), Tagliatelle (+3.0), Egg noodles (+3.0). More acid-forming are Rye roll (+3.1), Mixed roll (+3.3), Granola (+3.4).
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.
Bulgur (durum wheat): cooked, raw
Same food, different state. All values per 100 g.
| State | PRAL |
|---|---|
| cooked | +3.1 |
| raw | +5.2 |
What balances bulgur (durum wheat)
A small side (100 g) of bulgur (durum wheat) adds +3.1 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is bulgur (durum wheat) 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: Bulgur (durum wheat) (cooked) has a PRAL of +3.1 per 100 g, so it counts as slightly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much lamb's lettuce offsets a small side (100 g) of bulgur (durum wheat)?
A small side (100 g) of bulgur (durum wheat) adds +3.1 to your daily balance. Lamb's lettuce (fresh) has −8.3 per 100 g, so about 40 g of lamb's lettuce offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid bulgur (durum wheat) on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Bulgur (durum wheat) is slightly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Bulgur (durum wheat), cooked or raw: which is more alkaline?
Bulgur (durum wheat) (cooked) is at +3.1, Bulgur (durum wheat) (raw) at +5.2. So the "cooked" version is more alkaline. Differences come from water content, cooking water or concentration during drying.
Bulgur (Durum Wheat) 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.