Is Ginger Root Acidic or Alkaline?
Ginger root (fresh) is strongly alkaline: Negative PRAL: alkalizing after digestion. Alkaline, and strongly so: fresh ginger has a PRAL of −6.7 per 100 g, and ginger powder −24.1. In the amounts you normally use, though, this barely makes a difference.
Classification
At −6.7, fresh ginger is clearly alkaline because the root contains plenty of potassium and magnesium with little protein. Its heat has nothing to do with it: taste and acid-base balance are independent of each other. In practice, the amount counts. A thumb-sized piece in tea or curry adds only a little, while dried and ground ginger concentrates the alkalizing effect several times over.
In the Herbs, Spices & Sauces category, ginger root (fresh) ranks #27 of 75, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Parsley (−6.9), Herb salt (−9.3), Parsley root (−9.5). More acid-forming are Basil (−6.5), Curry ketchup (−6.5), Ketchup (−6.5).
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.
Ginger root: fresh, raw
Same food, different state. All values per 100 g.
| State | PRAL |
|---|---|
| fresh | −6.7 |
| raw | −6.7 |
Goes well with
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ginger root 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: Ginger root (fresh) has a PRAL of −6.7 per 100 g, so it counts as strongly alkaline in your daily acid-base balance.
How much ginger root do I need for a noticeable effect?
A thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger (10 g) of ginger root adds −0.7 to your daily balance. For comparison: an egg is around +5.4, a slice of cheese around +6. So one serving of ginger root roughly offsets one of them.
Why is ginger root 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. Ginger root provides more potassium, magnesium and calcium than phosphorus and protein, so the balance is negative (−6.7).
Ginger root, fresh or raw: which is more alkaline?
Ginger root (fresh) is at −6.7, Ginger powder (raw) at −6.7. Both are on a par. Differences come from water content, cooking water or concentration during drying.
Ginger Root 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 Herbs, Spices & Sauces: Herbs, Spices & Sauces 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.