Is Licorice Acidic or Alkaline?
Licorice (prepared) is alkaline: Negative PRAL: alkalizing after digestion.
Classification
At −1.8, licorice is slightly alkaline. Licorice root extract and the molasses that is often added bring some potassium, and there is hardly any protein. Still, it is not a source of bases: the PRAL says nothing about sugar, salmiak or the 311 kcal per 100 g. A 30 g handful comes to about −0.5 and is meaningless for your balance.
In the Sweets & Snacks category, licorice (prepared) ranks #22 of 91, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include chocolate hazelnut spread (−1.9), Milk chocolate (−2.1), Pralines (−2.1). More acid-forming are Apricot jam (−1.5), Strawberry jam (−1.5), White chocolate (−1.5).
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 licorice 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: Licorice (prepared) has a PRAL of −1.8 per 100 g, so it counts as alkaline in your daily acid-base balance.
How much licorice do I need for a noticeable effect?
A small serving (40 g) of licorice adds −0.7 to your daily balance. For comparison: an egg is around +5.4, a slice of cheese around +6. So one serving of licorice roughly offsets one of them.
Why is licorice 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. Licorice provides more potassium, magnesium and calcium than phosphorus and protein, so the balance is negative (−1.8).
Licorice 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 Sweets & Snacks: Sweets & Snacks 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.