Are Pistachios Acidic or Alkaline?
Pistachios (raw) are slightly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Pistachios are slightly acid-forming at +2.7 because their comparatively high potassium content offsets part of their protein and phosphorus. Pine nuts and Brazil nuts are much higher. A 30 g handful of shelled pistachios adds just under +1, but around 180 kcal.
In the Nuts & Seeds category, pistachios (raw) rank #11 of 29, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Pecans (+2.0), Roasted pistachios (salted) (+1.6), Poppy seeds (+0.9). More acid-forming are Almond butter (+3.7), Sesame seeds (+3.9), Flaxseeds (+4.2).
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 pistachios
A handful (30 g) of pistachios adds +0.8 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are pistachios 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: Pistachios (raw) have a PRAL of +2.7 per 100 g, so they count as slightly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much lamb's lettuce offsets a handful (30 g) of pistachios?
A handful (30 g) of pistachios adds +0.8 to your daily balance. Lamb's lettuce (fresh) has −8.3 per 100 g, so about 10 g of lamb's lettuce offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid pistachios on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Pistachios are slightly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Pistachios 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 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.