Is Mustard Powder Acidic or Alkaline?
Mustard powder (dried) is strongly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Mustard powder is finely ground mustard seed and shares the whole seeds' value of +14.4, since nothing is lost in grinding. The seed's protein and phosphorus make it acid-forming. For a dressing or marinade, you usually use half a teaspoon, which stays practically invisible in your daily balance. What counts are the main ingredients on your plate.
In the Herbs, Spices & Sauces category, mustard powder (dried) ranks #72 of 75, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Hollandaise sauce (+6.1), Ranch dressing (+5.7), White pepper (+5.1). More acid-forming are Nutritional yeast (yeast flakes) (+21.2), Gelatin (+39.2), Baking powder (+339.2).
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.
What balances mustard powder
A teaspoon (5 g) of mustard powder adds +0.7 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is mustard powder 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: Mustard powder (dried) has a PRAL of +14.4 per 100 g, so it counts as strongly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much avocado offsets a teaspoon (5 g) of mustard powder?
A teaspoon (5 g) of mustard powder adds +0.7 to your daily balance. Avocado (ripe) has −9.9 per 100 g, so about 10 g of avocado offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid mustard powder on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Mustard powder is strongly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Mustard Powder 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 Herbs, Spices & Sauces: Herbs, Spices & Sauces 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.