Is Green Spelt Acidic or Alkaline?
Green spelt (raw) is acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Green spelt is spelt harvested unripe and kiln-dried. Like spelt, it brings a lot of protein and phosphorus, which outweigh potassium and magnesium: +6.1. That's slightly below the ripe spelt grain. In green spelt patties or soup, water dilutes the value. With vegetables and herbs in the mix, a patty is much more balanced than a German-style meatball.
In the Grains, Bread & Pasta category, green spelt (raw) ranks #83 of 121, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Spelt bread (+6.1), Puffed rice cereal (+6.0), Couscous (durum) (+5.9). More acid-forming are Durum wheat semolina (+6.2), Rice cakes (unsalted) (+6.2), Teff (+6.3).
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 green spelt
A dry serving (50 g) of green spelt adds +3.1 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is green spelt 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: Green spelt (raw) has a PRAL of +6.1 per 100 g, so it counts as acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much kale offsets a dry serving (50 g) of green spelt?
A dry serving (50 g) of green spelt adds +3.1 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 green spelt on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Green spelt is acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Green Spelt 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 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.