Is Cashew Butter Acidic or Alkaline?
Cashew butter (prepared) is acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Cashew butter is made from finely ground cashews, so it brings the same protein and phosphorus as the nuts. Its value is +6.8. At 623 kcal per 100 g, it's also very energy-dense. In the kitchen, it replaces cream in sauces and soups. A tablespoon in a vegetable curry with potatoes and spinach barely registers in the balance.
In the Nuts & Seeds category, cashew butter (prepared) ranks #17 of 29, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Chia seeds (+6.3), Walnuts (+5.6), Flaxseeds (+4.2). More acid-forming are Peanut butter (+6.8), Roasted peanuts (salted) (+7.0), Cashews (+7.1).
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 cashew butter
A handful (30 g) of cashew butter adds +2.0 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is cashew butter 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: Cashew butter (prepared) has a PRAL of +6.8 per 100 g, so it counts as acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much spinach offsets a handful (30 g) of cashew butter?
A handful (30 g) of cashew butter adds +2.0 to your daily balance. Spinach (fresh) has −12.2 per 100 g, so about 20 g of spinach offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid cashew butter on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Cashew butter is acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Cashew Butter logged, balance checked.
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Compare all Nuts & Seeds: Nuts & Seeds 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.