Is Hummus Acidic or Alkaline?
Hummus (prepared) is slightly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
At +2.2, hummus sits slightly in the acid-forming range. Chickpeas and sesame paste bring protein and phosphorus, and their potassium plus the lemon only partly offset that, while olive oil stays neutral. For a protein-rich spread, that is still a mild value. Dip bell pepper, cucumber and carrot sticks instead of flatbread, and your serving shifts into alkaline territory.
In the Meals & Fast Food category, hummus (prepared) ranks #56 of 118, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Bouillabaisse (+1.9), Cannelloni (ricotta-spinach) (+1.8), Frozen lasagna (+1.6). More acid-forming are Sushi, California roll (+2.2), Chicken soup (+2.3), Vegetarian wrap (+2.4).
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 hummus
A meal (300 g) of hummus adds +6.6 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is hummus 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: Hummus (prepared) has a PRAL of +2.2 per 100 g, so it counts as slightly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much lamb's lettuce offsets a meal (300 g) of hummus?
A meal (300 g) of hummus adds +6.6 to your daily balance. Lamb's lettuce (fresh) has −8.3 per 100 g, so about 80 g of lamb's lettuce offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid hummus on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Hummus is slightly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Hummus 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 Meals & Fast Food: Meals & Fast Food 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.