Is Cocoa Powder (Alkalized) Acidic or Alkaline?
Cocoa powder (alkalized) (dried) is strongly alkaline: Negative PRAL: alkalizing after digestion. Alkaline, and strongly so. Heavily defatted baking cocoa has a PRAL of −35.7 per 100 g and alkalized cocoa −31.7, while dark chocolate comes in at −6.1 and milk chocolate at −2.1.
Classification
Alkalized cocoa powder reaches −31.7. The defatted bean is naturally rich in potassium and magnesium, and alkalizing with potassium carbonate adds even more potassium. Two teaspoons, 10 g in total, bring about −3. In hot cocoa or chocolate, milk and sugar dilute the effect heavily, but the direction stays the same.
In the Sweets & Snacks category, cocoa powder (alkalized) (dried) ranks #2 of 91, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Cocoa powder, baking (−35.7). More acid-forming are Potato chips (plain) (−17.0), Potato chips (paprika flavor) (−17.0), Potato chips (sour cream & onion) (−17.0).
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 cocoa powder (alkalized) 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: Cocoa powder (alkalized) (dried) has a PRAL of −31.7 per 100 g, so it counts as strongly alkaline in your daily acid-base balance.
How much cocoa powder (alkalized) do I need for a noticeable effect?
One heaping teaspoon of cocoa powder (10 g) of cocoa powder (alkalized) adds −3.2 to your daily balance. For comparison: an egg is around +5.4, a slice of cheese around +6. So one serving of cocoa powder (alkalized) roughly offsets one of them.
Why is cocoa powder (alkalized) 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. Cocoa powder (alkalized) provides more potassium, magnesium and calcium than phosphorus and protein, so the balance is negative (−31.7).
Cocoa Powder (Alkalized) logged, balance checked.
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Compare all Sweets & Snacks: Sweets & Snacks 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.