Is Horseradish Acidic or Alkaline?
Horseradish (prepared) is alkaline: Negative PRAL: alkalizing after digestion.
Classification
Prepared horseradish from the jar comes in at −4.1, in the alkaline range, but less so than the fresh root at −7.6. Water, oil, sugar or cream stretch the root content. The 171 kcal per 100 g show that quite a bit gets added. As a side with smoked salmon or sausages, it remains a small counterweight.
In the Vegetables & Salad category, horseradish (prepared) ranks #52 of 110, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Zucchini (−4.1), Tomato (−4.2), Sorrel (−4.2). More acid-forming are Tomatoes, peeled (−4.1), Chinese cabbage (−4.0), Bok choy (−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.
Horseradish: prepared, fresh
Same food, different state. All values per 100 g.
| State | PRAL |
|---|---|
| fresh | −7.6 |
| prepared | −4.1 |
Goes well with
Frequently Asked Questions
Is horseradish 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: Horseradish (prepared) has a PRAL of −4.1 per 100 g, so it counts as alkaline in your daily acid-base balance.
How much horseradish do I need for a noticeable effect?
A serving (150 g) of horseradish adds −6.1 to your daily balance. For comparison: an egg is around +5.4, a slice of cheese around +6. So one serving of horseradish roughly offsets one of them.
Why is horseradish 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. Horseradish provides more potassium, magnesium and calcium than phosphorus and protein, so the balance is negative (−4.1).
Horseradish, prepared or fresh: which is more alkaline?
Horseradish (prepared) is at −4.1, Horseradish (fresh) at −7.6. So the "fresh" version is more alkaline. Differences come from water content, cooking water or concentration during drying.
Horseradish 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.