Is Pad Thai Chicken Acidic or Alkaline?
Pad Thai chicken (prepared) is slightly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Chicken pad thai is acid-forming at +3.2 because chicken, egg and peanuts together supply more protein and phosphorus than the potassium from soybean sprouts, spring onions and lime can offset. A 350 g serving adds about +11. More sprouts, bok choy and herbs in the pan bring the value down noticeably.
In the Meals & Fast Food category, Pad Thai chicken (prepared) ranks #69 of 118, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Sushi with salmon (+3.2), Ravioli (meat filled) (+3.1), Currywurst (+3.1). More acid-forming are Sausage salad (+3.4), Falafel (+3.5), Beef goulash (+3.5).
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 Pad Thai chicken
A meal (300 g) of Pad Thai chicken adds +9.7 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pad Thai chicken 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: Pad Thai chicken (prepared) has a PRAL of +3.2 per 100 g, so it counts as slightly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much lamb's lettuce offsets a meal (300 g) of Pad Thai chicken?
A meal (300 g) of Pad Thai chicken adds +9.7 to your daily balance. Lamb's lettuce (fresh) has −8.3 per 100 g, so about 120 g of lamb's lettuce offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid Pad Thai chicken on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Pad Thai chicken is slightly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Pad Thai Chicken 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 Meals & Fast Food: Meals & Fast Food 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.