Is Plum (Prune) Acidic or Alkaline?
Plum (prune) (dried) is strongly alkaline: Negative PRAL: alkalizing after digestion.
Classification
Prunes reach −13.0 because drying concentrates the potassium of the fresh plum into a fraction of the weight. At the same time, the energy rises to 205 kcal per 100 g. Five prunes weigh about 40 g and add roughly −5, as much as three fresh plums, just with much more sugar per bite.
In the Fruit category, plum (prune) (dried) ranks #10 of 80, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Dried date (−13.4), Persimmon (−14.3), Cherry (−14.4). More acid-forming are Raisins (−12.7), Apple (−10.2), Avocado (−9.9).
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.
Goes well with
Frequently Asked Questions
Is plum (prune) 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: Plum (prune) (dried) has a PRAL of −13.0 per 100 g, so it counts as strongly alkaline in your daily acid-base balance.
How much plum (prune) do I need for a noticeable effect?
One piece or a handful (120 g) of plum (prune) adds −15.6 to your daily balance. For comparison: an egg is around +5.4, a slice of cheese around +6. So one serving of plum (prune) roughly offsets one of them.
Why is plum (prune) alkaline even though it tastes sour?
The PRAL depends on the minerals left over after digestion, not on taste or pH. Plum (prune) provides more potassium, magnesium and calcium than phosphorus and protein, so the balance is negative (−13.0).
Plum (Prune) logged, balance checked.
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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.