Are Pancakes Acidic or Alkaline?
Pancakes (prepared) are slightly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Pancakes are acid-forming at +4.9 because flour, eggs and milk together supply protein and phosphorus without much potassium to offset them. The fat in the pan is neutral. Two pancakes totaling 200 g add about +10. Filled with spinach and tomatoes, they make a much more balanced dinner than with cheese and ham.
In the Meals & Fast Food category, pancakes (prepared) rank #90 of 118, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Cheese spätzle (+4.8), Beef roulade (with gravy) (+4.7), Kaiserschmarrn (shredded pancake) (+4.5). More acid-forming are Pasta carbonara (+5.2), Meat salad (with mayonnaise) (+5.3), Pizza Prosciutto (+5.3).
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 pancakes
A meal (300 g) of pancakes adds +14.7 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are pancakes 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: Pancakes (prepared) have a PRAL of +4.9 per 100 g, so they count as slightly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much kale offsets a meal (300 g) of pancakes?
A meal (300 g) of pancakes adds +14.7 to your daily balance. Kale (fresh) has −11.7 per 100 g, so about 130 g of kale offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid pancakes on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Pancakes are slightly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Pancakes 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 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.