Is Fennel Acidic or Alkaline?
Fennel (boiled) is alkaline: Negative PRAL: alkalizing after digestion.
Classification
Boiled fennel sits at −2.8. It's still alkaline, but much weaker than the raw bulb at −6.5, because boiling in water sends much of the potassium into the pot. Braising with little liquid or roasting in the oven keeps more of it in the vegetable. As a side with fish, a serving still offsets part of the acid from the fillet.
In the Vegetables & Salad category, fennel (boiled) ranks #76 of 110, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Yellow bell pepper (−2.9), White asparagus (−3.0), Green asparagus (−3.0). More acid-forming are Savoy cabbage (−2.7), Cauliflower (−2.6), Kohlrabi (−2.5).
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.
Fennel: boiled, fresh
Same food, different state. All values per 100 g.
| State | PRAL |
|---|---|
| fresh | −6.5 |
| boiled | −2.8 |
Goes well with
Frequently Asked Questions
Is fennel 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: Fennel (boiled) has a PRAL of −2.8 per 100 g, so it counts as alkaline in your daily acid-base balance.
How much fennel do I need for a noticeable effect?
A serving (150 g) of fennel adds −4.1 to your daily balance. For comparison: an egg is around +5.4, a slice of cheese around +6. So one serving of fennel roughly offsets one of them.
Why is fennel 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. Fennel provides more potassium, magnesium and calcium than phosphorus and protein, so the balance is negative (−2.8).
Fennel, boiled or fresh: which is more alkaline?
Fennel (boiled) is at −2.8, Fennel (fresh) at −6.5. So the "fresh" version is more alkaline. Differences come from water content, cooking water or concentration during drying.
Fennel 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 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.