Is Corn Pasta Acidic or Alkaline?
Corn pasta (raw) is acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Raw corn pasta is acid-forming at +8.2 because the dried corn endosperm contains phosphorus and protein but hardly any potassium. Cooked, it drops to +3.9 because the pasta absorbs a lot of water. You never eat it raw, so this value is mainly useful for comparing it with other dry products. For your plate, the cooked weight is what counts.
In the Grains, Bread & Pasta category, corn pasta (raw) ranks #107 of 121, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Millet flakes, whole grain (+8.1), Millet, whole kernel (+8.1), Rice noodles (+8.0). More acid-forming are Emmer (farro) (+8.7), Wheat bran (+9.2), Spelt, whole kernel (+9.3).
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.
Corn pasta: raw, cooked
Same food, different state. All values per 100 g.
| State | PRAL |
|---|---|
| cooked | +3.9 |
| raw | +8.2 |
What balances corn pasta
A dry serving (50 g) of corn pasta adds +4.1 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is corn pasta 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: Corn pasta (raw) has a PRAL of +8.2 per 100 g, so it counts as acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much avocado offsets a dry serving (50 g) of corn pasta?
A dry serving (50 g) of corn pasta adds +4.1 to your daily balance. Avocado (ripe) has −9.9 per 100 g, so about 40 g of avocado offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid corn pasta on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Corn pasta is acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Corn pasta, raw or cooked: which is more alkaline?
Corn pasta (raw) is at +8.2, Corn pasta (cooked) at +3.9. So the "cooked" version is more alkaline. Differences come from water content, cooking water or concentration during drying.
Corn Pasta 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 Grains, Bread & Pasta: Grains, Bread & Pasta 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.