Are Hazelnuts Acidic or Alkaline?
Hazelnuts (raw) are alkaline: Negative PRAL: alkalizing after digestion. It depends on the type. Hazelnuts (−3.2) and macadamia nuts (−1.1) are alkaline, pecans (+2.0) and pistachios (+2.7) are mildly acid-forming, and walnuts (+5.6), cashews (+7.1), Brazil nuts (+8.0) and almonds (+10.5) are clearly acid-forming.
Classification
Hazelnuts sit in the alkaline range at −3.2. That makes them one of the few nuts whose potassium and magnesium outweigh their protein and phosphorus. Peanuts or cashews don't manage that. A handful in muesli softens the oat portion a little. At 667 kcal per 100 g, though, they are more a source of energy than an alkaline source.
In the Nuts & Seeds category, hazelnuts (raw) rank #6 of 29, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Hazelnut butter (−3.3), Coconut flesh (−3.5), Coconut (copra) (−11.5). More acid-forming are Macadamia nuts (−1.1), Poppy seeds (+0.9), Roasted pistachios (salted) (+1.6).
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 hazelnuts 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: Hazelnuts (raw) have a PRAL of −3.2 per 100 g, so they count as alkaline in your daily acid-base balance.
How much hazelnuts do I need for a noticeable effect?
A handful of nuts (30 g) of hazelnuts adds −1.0 to your daily balance. For comparison: an egg is around +5.4, a slice of cheese around +6. So one serving of hazelnuts roughly offsets one of them.
Why are hazelnuts alkaline even though they are not typical alkaline foods?
The PRAL depends on the minerals left over after digestion, not on taste or pH. Hazelnuts provide more potassium, magnesium and calcium than phosphorus and protein, so the balance is negative (−3.2).
Hazelnuts 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 Nuts & Seeds: Nuts & Seeds 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.