Is Peanut Butter Acidic or Alkaline?
Peanut butter (prepared) is acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Peanut butter is made from roasted, ground peanuts, and peanuts are botanically legumes with lots of protein and phosphorus. That's why it lands at +6.8. Its potassium and magnesium only partly offset this. At 606 kcal per 100 g, you rarely eat more than a spoonful anyway. Spread it on bread with banana slices, and the counterweight comes built in.
In the Nuts & Seeds category, peanut butter (prepared) ranks #18 of 29, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Cashew butter (+6.8), Chia seeds (+6.3), Walnuts (+5.6). More acid-forming are Roasted peanuts (salted) (+7.0), Cashews (+7.1), Roasted peanuts (unsalted) (+7.2).
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 peanut butter
A handful (30 g) of peanut butter adds +2.0 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is peanut butter 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: Peanut butter (prepared) has a PRAL of +6.8 per 100 g, so it counts as acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much avocado offsets a handful (30 g) of peanut butter?
A handful (30 g) of peanut butter adds +2.0 to your daily balance. Avocado (ripe) has −9.9 per 100 g, so about 20 g of avocado offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid peanut butter on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Peanut butter is acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Peanut Butter logged, balance checked.
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Compare all Nuts & Seeds: Nuts & Seeds 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.