Are Kidney Beans Acidic or Alkaline?
Kidney beans (boiled) are slightly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Boiled kidney beans are just barely acid-forming at +0.7 because the bean's protein and phosphorus slightly outweigh its potassium. Canned, they come to +1.9, since more potassium goes into the liquid. In chili, ground meat and cheese drive the acid load anyway, while tomatoes, bell peppers and corn push back on the other side.
In the Legumes category, kidney beans (boiled) rank #12 of 26, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Mung beans (+0.5), White beans (+0.4), Fava beans (broad beans) (+0.2). More acid-forming are Green peas (+0.7), Chickpeas (+1.0), Soybeans, mature (+1.1).
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.
Kidney beans: boiled, canned
Same food, different state. All values per 100 g.
| State | PRAL |
|---|---|
| boiled | +0.7 |
| canned | +1.9 |
What balances kidney beans
A cooked serving (150 g) of kidney beans adds +1.0 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are kidney beans 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: Kidney beans (boiled) have a PRAL of +0.7 per 100 g, so they count as slightly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much spinach offsets a cooked serving (150 g) of kidney beans?
A cooked serving (150 g) of kidney beans adds +1.0 to your daily balance. Spinach (fresh) has −12.2 per 100 g, so about 10 g of spinach offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid kidney beans on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Kidney beans are slightly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Kidney beans, boiled or canned: which is more alkaline?
Kidney beans (boiled) is at +0.7, Kidney beans (canned) at +1.9. So the "boiled" version is more alkaline. Differences come from water content, cooking water or concentration during drying.
Kidney Beans logged, balance checked.
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Compare all Legumes: Legumes 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.