Are Capers Acidic or Alkaline?
Capers (canned) are neutral: PRAL close to zero: hardly shifts your acid-base balance.
Classification
At −0.2, capers are neutral. These pickled flower buds bring some potassium, protein and phosphorus balance it almost exactly, and the salty brine doesn't enter the calculation. In terms of quantity, they are a seasoning anyway: a teaspoon in the sauce of Königsberger Klopse (meatballs in caper sauce) weighs only a few grams. What you notice is mainly the salt, not the balance.
In the Herbs, Spices & Sauces category, capers (canned) rank #53 of 75, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Curry sauce (−1.0), Balsamic vinegar (−1.0), Italian dressing (−1.3). More acid-forming are Yogurt dressing (+0.1), Beef broth, powder (+0.2), White sauce (béchamel) (+0.4).
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.
Goes well with
Frequently Asked Questions
Are capers 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: Capers (canned) have a PRAL of −0.2 per 100 g, so they count as neutral in your daily acid-base balance.
Does capers count in the acid-base balance at all?
Hardly. At −0.2 per 100 g, capers are in the neutral range between −0.5 and +0.5. You can eat them without shifting your balance.
Capers 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 Herbs, Spices & Sauces: Herbs, Spices & Sauces 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.