Is Pearled Barley Acidic or Alkaline?
Pearled barley (raw) is acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Raw pearled barley comes in at +5.3. The dry barley grain brings protein and phosphorus, potassium and magnesium can't quite keep up, and polishing also removes part of the mineral-rich outer layer. Cooked, it's only +2.3 because the grains absorb a lot of water. The 313 kcal per 100 g also refer to the dry grain.
In the Grains, Bread & Pasta category, pearled barley (raw) ranks #67 of 121, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Bulgur (durum wheat) (+5.2), Sprouted wheat (+5.0), Breadcrumbs (+5.0). More acid-forming are Wholemeal rye bread (+5.3), Barley flour (+5.4), Wheat roll (+5.5).
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.
Pearled barley: raw, cooked
Same food, different state. All values per 100 g.
| State | PRAL |
|---|---|
| cooked | +2.3 |
| raw | +5.3 |
What balances pearled barley
A dry serving (50 g) of pearled barley adds +2.6 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is pearled barley 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: Pearled barley (raw) has a PRAL of +5.3 per 100 g, so it counts as acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much spinach offsets a dry serving (50 g) of pearled barley?
A dry serving (50 g) of pearled barley adds +2.6 to your daily balance. Spinach (fresh) has −12.2 per 100 g, so about 20 g of spinach offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid pearled barley on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Pearled barley is acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Pearled barley, raw or cooked: which is more alkaline?
Pearled barley (raw) is at +5.3, Pearled barley (cooked) at +2.3. So the "cooked" version is more alkaline. Differences come from water content, cooking water or concentration during drying.
Pearled Barley 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 Grains, Bread & Pasta: Grains, Bread & Pasta 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.