Is Okra Acidic or Alkaline?
Okra (boiled) is alkaline: Negative PRAL: alkalizing after digestion.
Classification
Boiled okra is alkaline at −4.1 because the pods contain potassium and calcium with little protein and only 23 kcal per 100 g. Enough of those minerals remains even after cooking. In a gumbo or vegetable curry, okra covers the alkaline side along with tomatoes, while rice, sausage or chicken push the other way.
In the Vegetables & Salad category, okra (boiled) ranks #53 of 110, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Zucchini (−4.1), Tomato (−4.2), Sorrel (−4.2). More acid-forming are Tomatoes, peeled (−4.1), Chinese cabbage (−4.0), Bok choy (−4.0).
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
Is okra 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: Okra (boiled) has a PRAL of −4.1 per 100 g, so it counts as alkaline in your daily acid-base balance.
How much okra do I need for a noticeable effect?
A serving (150 g) of okra adds −6.1 to your daily balance. For comparison: an egg is around +5.4, a slice of cheese around +6. So one serving of okra roughly offsets one of them.
Why is okra alkaline even though it is not a typical alkaline food?
The PRAL depends on the minerals left over after digestion, not on taste or pH. Okra provides more potassium, magnesium and calcium than phosphorus and protein, so the balance is negative (−4.1).
Okra 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 Vegetables & Salad: Vegetables & Salad 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.