Is Flatbread Acidic or Alkaline?
Flatbread (baked) is slightly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Wheat flatbread sits in the acid-forming range at +3.8, because the grain protein and phosphorus in the flour outweigh its small amount of potassium. The airy, moist dough keeps the value a bit below that of wheat rolls. Filled with hummus, salad and grilled vegetables, the meal becomes much more balanced. With doner meat and garlic sauce, not so much.
In the Grains, Bread & Pasta category, flatbread (baked) ranks #49 of 121, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include White bread (+3.7), Ciabatta (+3.7), Parboiled rice (+3.7). More acid-forming are White toast bread (+3.9), Corn pasta (+3.9), Rice flour (+4.0).
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.
What balances flatbread
Two slices (100 g) of flatbread adds +3.8 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is flatbread 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: Flatbread (baked) has a PRAL of +3.8 per 100 g, so it counts as slightly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much kale offsets two slices (100 g) of flatbread?
Two slices (100 g) of flatbread adds +3.8 to your daily balance. Kale (fresh) has −11.7 per 100 g, so about 30 g of kale offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid flatbread on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Flatbread is slightly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Flatbread 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.