Is Dried Date Acidic or Alkaline?
Dried date (dried) is strongly alkaline: Negative PRAL: alkalizing after digestion.
Classification
Dried dates reach −13.4: the remaining water has been removed, potassium and magnesium are concentrated, and there's hardly any protein. That puts them much lower than fresh dates, but at 356 kcal per 100 g they're also concentrated energy. On paper, two dates with a walnut inside, or in an energy ball, can replace a snack bar. The PRAL says nothing about the sugar, though.
In the Fruit category, dried date (dried) ranks #9 of 80, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Persimmon (−14.3), Cherry (−14.4), Dried fruit (mixed) (−16.2). More acid-forming are Plum (prune) (−13.0), Raisins (−12.7), Apple (−10.2).
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 dried date 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: Dried date (dried) has a PRAL of −13.4 per 100 g, so it counts as strongly alkaline in your daily acid-base balance.
How much dried date do I need for a noticeable effect?
One piece or a handful (120 g) of dried date adds −16.1 to your daily balance. For comparison: an egg is around +5.4, a slice of cheese around +6. So one serving of dried date roughly offsets one of them.
Why is dried date alkaline even though it tastes sour?
The PRAL depends on the minerals left over after digestion, not on taste or pH. Dried date provides more potassium, magnesium and calcium than phosphorus and protein, so the balance is negative (−13.4).
Dried Date 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 Fruit: Fruit 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.