Is Dal (Indian Lentil Dish) Acidic or Alkaline?
Dal (Indian lentil dish) (prepared) is neutral: PRAL close to zero: hardly shifts your acid-base balance.
Classification
Dal, the Indian lentil dish, is practically at zero with +0.2. Lentils are high in protein but also bring plenty of potassium and magnesium, and tomatoes, onions and spices add a bit more. For a protein source, that's a remarkably balanced value. Meat or cheese come in far higher. With rice, the plate turns slightly acid-forming. With spinach or cauliflower in the dal, it turns slightly alkaline.
In the Meals & Fast Food category, dal (Indian lentil dish) (prepared) ranks #37 of 118, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Goulash soup (with meat) (0.0), Asparagus soup (−0.2), Cabbage roll (with minced meat) (−0.3). More acid-forming are Potato gnocchi (+0.3), Potato gnocchi (+0.3), Bami Goreng (+0.6).
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 dal (Indian lentil dish) 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: Dal (Indian lentil dish) (prepared) has a PRAL of +0.2 per 100 g, so it counts as neutral in your daily acid-base balance.
Does dal (Indian lentil dish) count in the acid-base balance at all?
Hardly. At +0.2 per 100 g, dal (Indian lentil dish) is in the neutral range between −0.5 and +0.5. You can eat it without shifting your balance.
Dal (Indian Lentil Dish) 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 Meals & Fast Food: Meals & Fast Food 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.