Is Celery Stalk Acidic or Alkaline?
Celery stalk (fresh) is strongly alkaline: Negative PRAL: alkalizing after digestion.
Classification
Celery stalks reach −5.2, which makes them clearly alkaline, thanks to potassium and a water content so high that protein and phosphorus barely matter. At 17 kcal per 100 g, celery is very light. Raw with a dip, in a salad or as a base for soup and bolognese, it adds to the alkaline side in every form.
In the Vegetables & Salad category, celery stalk (fresh) ranks #30 of 110, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Sweet potato (−5.3), Pumpkin (Butternut) (−5.4), Beetroot (−5.6). More acid-forming are Chili pepper, red (−5.0), Spinach (−5.0), Swede (rutabaga) (−5.0).
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is celery stalk 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: Celery stalk (fresh) has a PRAL of −5.2 per 100 g, so it counts as strongly alkaline in your daily acid-base balance.
How much celery stalk do I need for a noticeable effect?
A serving (150 g) of celery stalk adds −7.8 to your daily balance. For comparison: an egg is around +5.4, a slice of cheese around +6. So one serving of celery stalk roughly offsets one of them.
Why is celery stalk alkaline even though it is not a typical alkaline food?
The PRAL depends on the minerals left over after digestion, not on taste or pH. Celery stalk provides more potassium, magnesium and calcium than phosphorus and protein, so the balance is negative (−5.2).
Celery Stalk 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 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.