Are Lentils Acidic or Alkaline?
Lentils (canned) are slightly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
At +3.7, canned lentils are in the acid-forming range, a bit above home-cooked ones at +3.1, because more potassium moves into the liquid during canning. For a protein source, the value is still moderate. Meat is usually more than twice as high. In a lentil salad with bell pepper, spring onions and vinegar, much of it balances out.
In the Legumes category, lentils (canned) rank #21 of 26, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Peas (+2.5), Chickpeas (+2.4), Kidney beans (+1.9). More acid-forming are Red lentils (+3.9), Sweet lupins (+5.2), Sweet lupins (+5.4).
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.
Lentils: canned, boiled, raw
Same food, different state. All values per 100 g.
What balances lentils
A cooked serving (150 g) of lentils adds +5.6 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are lentils 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: Lentils (canned) have a PRAL of +3.7 per 100 g, so they count as slightly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much avocado offsets a cooked serving (150 g) of lentils?
A cooked serving (150 g) of lentils adds +5.6 to your daily balance. Avocado (ripe) has −9.9 per 100 g, so about 60 g of avocado offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid lentils on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Lentils are slightly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Lentils, canned or boiled: which is more alkaline?
Lentils (canned) is at +3.7, Lentils (boiled) at +3.1. So the "boiled" version is more alkaline. Differences come from water content, cooking water or concentration during drying.
Lentils 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 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.