Is Iodized Salt Acidic or Alkaline?
Iodized salt (raw) is alkaline: Negative PRAL: alkalizing after digestion.
Classification
Even though iodized salt is almost pure sodium chloride, it comes in at −3.5. Sodium isn't part of the PRAL formula, so what remains are small amounts of calcium and magnesium that occur naturally in salt or come from anti-caking agents. With the few grams you use per day, its contribution stays below half a point. So for your balance, what counts is not the salt but what you season with it.
In the Herbs, Spices & Sauces category, iodized salt (raw) ranks #38 of 75, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Barbecue sauce (−4.0), Chives (−4.3), Mint (−4.3). More acid-forming are Vanilla bean (−3.3), Red wine vinegar (−3.3), Nutmeg powder (−3.2).
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.
Goes well with
Frequently Asked Questions
Is iodized salt 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: Iodized salt (raw) has a PRAL of −3.5 per 100 g, so it counts as alkaline in your daily acid-base balance.
How much iodized salt do I need for a noticeable effect?
A teaspoon (5 g) of iodized salt adds −0.2 to your daily balance. For comparison: an egg is around +5.4, a slice of cheese around +6. So one serving of iodized salt roughly offsets one of them.
Why is iodized salt 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. Iodized salt provides more potassium, magnesium and calcium than phosphorus and protein, so the balance is negative (−3.5).
Iodized Salt 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.