Is Coconut Water Acidic or Alkaline?
Coconut water (fresh) is strongly alkaline: Negative PRAL: alkalizing after digestion.
Classification
Practically nothing but water, potassium and some magnesium, with hardly any protein: that is why coconut water comes in at −5.7 per 100 ml. At 10 kcal per 100 ml, it is a very light drink. A 250 ml glass adds about −14, which on paper is more than a 200 g serving of boiled potatoes.
In the Plant-Based Alternatives category, coconut water (fresh) ranks #2 of 21, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Textured soy protein (soy chunks) (−7.4). More acid-forming are Coconut milk (−2.1), Silken tofu (−2.0), Rice drink (unsweetened) (−1.7).
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.
Goes well with
Frequently Asked Questions
Is coconut water 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: Coconut water (fresh) has a PRAL of −5.7 per 100 ml, so it counts as strongly alkaline in your daily acid-base balance.
How much coconut water do I need for a noticeable effect?
100 ml of coconut water adds −5.7 to your daily balance. For comparison: an egg is around +5.4, a slice of cheese around +6. So one serving of coconut water roughly offsets one of them.
Why is coconut water 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. Coconut water provides more potassium, magnesium and calcium than phosphorus and protein, so the balance is negative (−5.7).
Coconut Water 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 Plant-Based Alternatives: Plant-Based Alternatives 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.