Is Pork Liver Acidic or Alkaline?
Pork liver (raw) is strongly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Pork liver comes in at +16.3, even above beef liver (+14.6), because organ meats store a great deal of phosphorus and also supply plenty of protein. That's almost twice as much as a raw beef steak (+8.7). Pan-fried liver with onions and mashed potatoes is a classic, but the mash and onions only soften the balance somewhat.
In the Meat & Sausages category, pork liver (raw) ranks #66 of 67, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Beef liver (+14.6), Salami (+14.5), Pork tenderloin (+13.8). More acid-forming are Beef jerky (+17.2).
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 pork liver
A serving (125 g) of pork liver adds +20.4 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is pork liver 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: Pork liver (raw) has a PRAL of +16.3 per 100 g, so it counts as strongly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much spinach offsets a serving (125 g) of pork liver?
A serving (125 g) of pork liver adds +20.4 to your daily balance. Spinach (fresh) has −12.2 per 100 g, so about 170 g of spinach offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid pork liver on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Pork liver is strongly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Pork Liver logged, balance checked.
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Compare all Meat & Sausages: Meat & Sausages 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.