Is Lettuce Acidic or Alkaline?
Lettuce (fresh) is strongly alkaline: Negative PRAL: alkalizing after digestion.
Classification
Lettuce is alkaline at −6.2, because it is mostly water and the rest is mainly potassium. At 18 kcal per 100 g, the ratio of alkaline minerals to calories is very favorable. A large 150 g bowl adds about −9, which offsets most of a slice of bread topped with one slice of cheese.
In the Vegetables & Salad category, lettuce (fresh) ranks #22 of 110, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Carrot (−6.3), Soup greens (−6.5), Fennel (−6.5). More acid-forming are Broccoli (−6.1), Wild garlic (−5.8), Chanterelle (−5.8).
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is lettuce 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: Lettuce (fresh) has a PRAL of −6.2 per 100 g, so it counts as strongly alkaline in your daily acid-base balance.
How much lettuce do I need for a noticeable effect?
A serving (150 g) of lettuce adds −9.2 to your daily balance. For comparison: an egg is around +5.4, a slice of cheese around +6. So one serving of lettuce roughly offsets one of them.
Why is lettuce 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. Lettuce provides more potassium, magnesium and calcium than phosphorus and protein, so the balance is negative (−6.2).
Lettuce 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 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.