Is Multigrain Bread Acidic or Alkaline?
Multigrain bread (baked) is slightly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Multigrain bread comes in at +2.6, slightly in the acid-forming range. Grains and seeds concentrate protein and phosphorus, but the potassium in the kernels offsets a good part of it. A 50 g slice adds about +1.3. Topped with tomato, cucumber and lettuce, you end up close to zero; with cheese and ham, well above it.
In the Grains, Bread & Pasta category, multigrain bread (baked) ranks #28 of 121, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Wholemeal bread (+2.6), Couscous (durum) (+2.5), Pearled barley (+2.3). More acid-forming are Wild rice (+2.6), Quinoa (+2.7), Rye-wheat bread (+2.8).
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.
What balances multigrain bread
Two slices (100 g) of multigrain bread adds +2.6 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is multigrain bread 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: Multigrain bread (baked) has a PRAL of +2.6 per 100 g, so it counts as slightly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much kale offsets two slices (100 g) of multigrain bread?
Two slices (100 g) of multigrain bread adds +2.6 to your daily balance. Kale (fresh) has −11.7 per 100 g, so about 20 g of kale offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid multigrain bread on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Multigrain bread is slightly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Multigrain Bread 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 Grains, Bread & Pasta: Grains, Bread & Pasta 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.