Are Frozen Mixed Vegetables (Carrots, Cauliflower, Broccoli) Acidic or Alkaline?
Frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, cauliflower, broccoli) (raw) are alkaline: Negative PRAL: alkalizing after digestion.
Classification
Frozen mixed vegetables come in at −4.7 because broccoli, cauliflower and carrots together supply a lot of potassium with little protein. Flash-frozen, the potassium stays in the vegetables as long as you don't boil them for long in lots of water. A 200 g serving adds about −9, offsetting most of a serving of cooked spaghetti.
In the Vegetables & Salad category, frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, cauliflower, broccoli) (raw) rank #39 of 110, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Turnip (−4.7), Pointed cabbage (−4.7), Radicchio (−4.8). More acid-forming are Red cabbage (−4.7), Spring onion (−4.6), Leek (−4.6).
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Are frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, cauliflower, broccoli) 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: Frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, cauliflower, broccoli) (raw) have a PRAL of −4.7 per 100 g, so they count as alkaline in your daily acid-base balance.
How much frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, cauliflower, broccoli) do I need for a noticeable effect?
A serving (150 g) of frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, cauliflower, broccoli) adds −7.0 to your daily balance. For comparison: an egg is around +5.4, a slice of cheese around +6. So one serving of frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, cauliflower, broccoli) roughly offsets one of them.
Why are frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, cauliflower, broccoli) alkaline even though they are not typical alkaline foods?
The PRAL depends on the minerals left over after digestion, not on taste or pH. Frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, cauliflower, broccoli) provide more potassium, magnesium and calcium than phosphorus and protein, so the balance is negative (−4.7).
Frozen Mixed Vegetables (Carrots, Cauliflower, Broccoli) logged, balance checked.
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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.