Is Mangosteen Acidic or Alkaline?
Mangosteen (fresh) is alkaline: Negative PRAL: alkalizing after digestion.
Classification
Fresh mangosteen is alkaline at −3.6 because the white flesh supplies potassium with hardly any protein. Canned, it only reaches −1.0, because the syrup dilutes it and some of the potassium passes into the liquid. You don't eat the thick purple rind, and the flesh makes up only a small part of the fruit.
In the Fruit category, mangosteen (fresh) ranks #41 of 80, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Sweet cherry (−3.7), White grapes (−3.8), Mirabelle plum (−3.8). More acid-forming are Quince (−3.6), Red grapes (−3.5), Mulberry (−3.4).
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.
Mangosteen: fresh, canned
Same food, different state. All values per 100 g.
| State | PRAL |
|---|---|
| fresh | −3.6 |
| canned | −1.0 |
Goes well with
Frequently Asked Questions
Is mangosteen 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: Mangosteen (fresh) has a PRAL of −3.6 per 100 g, so it counts as alkaline in your daily acid-base balance.
How much mangosteen do I need for a noticeable effect?
One piece or a handful (120 g) of mangosteen adds −4.4 to your daily balance. For comparison: an egg is around +5.4, a slice of cheese around +6. So one serving of mangosteen roughly offsets one of them.
Why is mangosteen alkaline even though it tastes sour?
The PRAL depends on the minerals left over after digestion, not on taste or pH. Mangosteen provides more potassium, magnesium and calcium than phosphorus and protein, so the balance is negative (−3.6).
Mangosteen, fresh or canned: which is more alkaline?
Mangosteen (fresh) is at −3.6, Mangosteen (canned) at −1.0. So the "fresh" version is more alkaline. Differences come from water content, cooking water or concentration during drying.
Mangosteen 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 Fruit: Fruit 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.