Is Codfish Acidic or Alkaline?
Codfish (raw) is acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Codfish is a lean saltwater fish, almost nothing but protein and water, and the protein together with the phosphorus results in +6.9. That's moderate for fish: perch is a bit higher, eel much higher. At 79 kcal per 100 g, cod is a very light protein source. Boiled potatoes, spinach or a cucumber salad on the side offset a good share of the acid load.
In the Fish & Seafood category, codfish (raw) ranks #13 of 56, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Plaice (+6.8), Squid (+6.6), Hake (+6.4). More acid-forming are Matjes herring (+7.1), Pangasius (+7.3), Redfish (ocean perch) (+7.4).
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 codfish
A fillet (125 g) of codfish adds +8.7 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is codfish 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: Codfish (raw) has a PRAL of +6.9 per 100 g, so it counts as acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much lamb's lettuce offsets a fillet (125 g) of codfish?
A fillet (125 g) of codfish adds +8.7 to your daily balance. Lamb's lettuce (fresh) has −8.3 per 100 g, so about 100 g of lamb's lettuce offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid codfish on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Codfish is acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Codfish 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 Fish & Seafood: Fish & Seafood 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.