Are Macadamia Nuts Acidic or Alkaline?
Macadamia nuts (raw) are alkaline: Negative PRAL: alkalizing after digestion.
Classification
Macadamia nuts are an exception among nuts and slightly alkaline at −1.1. They are mostly fat, which doesn't count in the calculation, and they contain little protein and phosphorus, so potassium narrowly wins. Almonds are clearly in positive territory. At 736 kcal per 100 g, a 30 g handful is enough.
In the Nuts & Seeds category, macadamia nuts (raw) rank #7 of 29, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Hazelnuts (−3.2), Hazelnut butter (−3.3), Coconut flesh (−3.5). More acid-forming are Poppy seeds (+0.9), Roasted pistachios (salted) (+1.6), Pecans (+2.0).
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
Are macadamia nuts 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: Macadamia nuts (raw) have a PRAL of −1.1 per 100 g, so they count as alkaline in your daily acid-base balance.
How much macadamia nuts do I need for a noticeable effect?
A handful (30 g) of macadamia nuts adds −0.3 to your daily balance. For comparison: an egg is around +5.4, a slice of cheese around +6. So one serving of macadamia nuts roughly offsets one of them.
Why are macadamia nuts alkaline even though they are not typical alkaline foods?
The PRAL depends on the minerals left over after digestion, not on taste or pH. Macadamia nuts provide more potassium, magnesium and calcium than phosphorus and protein, so the balance is negative (−1.1).
Macadamia Nuts logged, balance checked.
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Compare all Nuts & Seeds: Nuts & Seeds 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.