Is Physalis (Cape Gooseberry) Acidic or Alkaline?
Physalis (cape gooseberry) (fresh) is alkaline: Negative PRAL: alkalizing after digestion.
Classification
Physalis is slightly alkaline at −1.7 because the small berry in its papery husk supplies potassium with little protein. The tart-sweet taste plays no role in the balance. It usually ends up as a garnish on desserts, but a whole 100 g container adds about −2 at 81 kcal.
In the Fruit category, physalis (cape gooseberry) (fresh) ranks #71 of 80, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Sour cherry (−1.8), Apple sauce, unsweetened (−1.9), Apple (−1.9). More acid-forming are Watermelon (−1.7), Apple sauce (−1.6), Cranberry (−1.4).
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 physalis (cape gooseberry) 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: Physalis (cape gooseberry) (fresh) has a PRAL of −1.7 per 100 g, so it counts as alkaline in your daily acid-base balance.
How much physalis (cape gooseberry) do I need for a noticeable effect?
One piece or a handful (120 g) of physalis (cape gooseberry) adds −2.1 to your daily balance. For comparison: an egg is around +5.4, a slice of cheese around +6. So one serving of physalis (cape gooseberry) roughly offsets one of them.
Why is physalis (cape gooseberry) alkaline even though it tastes sour?
The PRAL depends on the minerals left over after digestion, not on taste or pH. Physalis (cape gooseberry) provides more potassium, magnesium and calcium than phosphorus and protein, so the balance is negative (−1.7).
Physalis (Cape Gooseberry) 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 Fruit: Fruit 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.