Is Endive Acidic or Alkaline?
Endive (fresh) is alkaline: Negative PRAL: alkalizing after digestion.
Classification
Endive is a leafy salad green with potassium and almost no protein. That gives −3.2 at just 13 kcal, a slightly stronger alkalizing effect than iceberg lettuce. Its bitter compounds don't change the balance, they only shape the flavor. Served with walnuts and blue cheese, the plate shifts toward zero. With orange segments or potatoes, it stays alkaline.
In the Vegetables & Salad category, endive (fresh) ranks #67 of 110, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Sauerkraut (−3.3), Cucumber (−3.3), Sauerkraut (−3.4). More acid-forming are Shallot (−3.1), Carrots (−3.1), Eggplant (−3.0).
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 endive 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: Endive (fresh) has a PRAL of −3.2 per 100 g, so it counts as alkaline in your daily acid-base balance.
How much endive do I need for a noticeable effect?
A serving (150 g) of endive adds −4.8 to your daily balance. For comparison: an egg is around +5.4, a slice of cheese around +6. So one serving of endive roughly offsets one of them.
Why is endive 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. Endive provides more potassium, magnesium and calcium than phosphorus and protein, so the balance is negative (−3.2).
Endive 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.
Free for Android · iPhone coming soon
Compare all Vegetables & Salad: Vegetables & Salad 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.