Is Carp Acidic or Alkaline?
Carp (raw) is acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Raw carp is acid-forming at +7.6 because, like any fish, its flesh consists mainly of protein with phosphorus, and its potassium can't keep up. Served as a Christmas carp with potato salad, the side dish wins back a good part of it. The horseradish served with it is alkaline, but the amount is too small to make much difference.
In the Fish & Seafood category, carp (raw) ranks #19 of 56, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Haddock (+7.5), Redfish (ocean perch) (+7.4), Pangasius (+7.3). More acid-forming are Trout (+8.1), Squid (+8.3), Saithe (coley) (+8.3).
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 carp
A fillet (125 g) of carp adds +9.5 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is carp 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: Carp (raw) has a PRAL of +7.6 per 100 g, so it counts as acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much lamb's lettuce offsets a fillet (125 g) of carp?
A fillet (125 g) of carp adds +9.5 to your daily balance. Lamb's lettuce (fresh) has −8.3 per 100 g, so about 110 g of lamb's lettuce offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid carp on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Carp is acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Carp 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.
Free for Android · iPhone coming soon
Compare all Fish & Seafood: Fish & Seafood 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.