Is Mineral Water Acidic or Alkaline?
Mineral water (raw) is neutral: PRAL close to zero: hardly shifts your acid-base balance. Neutral: tap water is neutral (−0.1 per 100 ml), and mineral water ranges from neutral to mildly alkaline depending on the source (−0.2 on average). "Alkaline water" with a high pH offers no added benefit.
Classification
Mineral water comes in at −0.2 per 100 ml, in the neutral range: dissolved calcium and magnesium bring a small minus, and there is no protein or phosphorus at all. The value varies considerably by source. Very mineral-rich waters are lower, and the label shows the mineral content. Two liters a day add about −5, with no calories at all.
In the Drinks category, mineral water (raw) ranks #50 of 80, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Cream liqueur (−0.2), Latte macchiato (with milk, 3.5%) (−0.3), Cappuccino (with milk, 3.5%) (−0.3). More acid-forming are Radler (beer with lemonade) (−0.2), Green tea (−0.2), Wheat beer (−0.2).
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 mineral water 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: Mineral water (raw) has a PRAL of −0.2 per 100 ml, so it counts as neutral in your daily acid-base balance.
Does mineral water count in the acid-base balance at all?
Hardly. At −0.2 per 100 ml, mineral water is in the neutral range between −0.5 and +0.5. You can eat it without shifting your balance.
Mineral Water 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.
Free for Android · iPhone coming soon
Compare all Drinks: Drinks 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.