Are Chicken Wings Acidic or Alkaline?
Chicken wings (raw) are acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Raw chicken wings come in at +8.3. Lots of skin and fat dilute the protein per 100 g, which is why they're below lean breast meat. They're still acid-forming, because there's no potassium to offset them. In the oven or fryer they lose water and the acid load rises. Celery sticks and a big coleslaw on the side offset part of it.
In the Meat & Sausages category, chicken wings (raw) rank #21 of 67, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Veal (+8.3), Bacon (+8.2), Smoked ham (+8.2). More acid-forming are Pork chop (+8.5), Lamb chop (+8.6), Beef steak (sirloin) (+8.7).
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 chicken wings
A serving (125 g) of chicken wings adds +10.4 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are chicken wings 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: Chicken wings (raw) have a PRAL of +8.3 per 100 g, so they count as acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much avocado offsets a serving (125 g) of chicken wings?
A serving (125 g) of chicken wings adds +10.4 to your daily balance. Avocado (ripe) has −9.9 per 100 g, so about 100 g of avocado offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid chicken wings on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Chicken wings are acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Chicken Wings logged, balance checked.
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Compare all Meat & Sausages: Meat & Sausages 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.