Is Pork Tenderloin Acidic or Alkaline?
Pork tenderloin (raw) is acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Raw pork tenderloin comes in at +9.3 because this lean muscle meat consists almost entirely of water and protein and also brings phosphorus. Cooked, the value rises to +13.8, since water loss in the pan concentrates everything per 100 g. At 118 kcal raw, the tenderloin is very lean, but that doesn't make it any milder in mineral terms than other cuts.
In the Meat & Sausages category, pork tenderloin (raw) ranks #30 of 67, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Roast beef (+9.2), Beef, general (+9.0), Chicken, whole (with skin) (+8.9). More acid-forming are Raw ham (+9.4), Landjaeger sausage (+9.4), Mettwurst sausage (+9.5).
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.
Pork tenderloin: raw, prepared
Same food, different state. All values per 100 g.
| State | PRAL |
|---|---|
| raw | +9.3 |
| prepared | +13.8 |
What balances pork tenderloin
A serving (125 g) of pork tenderloin adds +11.6 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is pork tenderloin 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 tenderloin (raw) has a PRAL of +9.3 per 100 g, so it counts as acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much spinach offsets a serving (125 g) of pork tenderloin?
A serving (125 g) of pork tenderloin adds +11.6 to your daily balance. Spinach (fresh) has −12.2 per 100 g, so about 100 g of spinach offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid pork tenderloin on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Pork tenderloin is acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Pork tenderloin, raw or prepared: which is more alkaline?
Pork tenderloin (raw) is at +9.3, Pork tenderloin (prepared) at +13.8. So the "raw" version is more alkaline. Differences come from water content, cooking water or concentration during drying.
Pork Tenderloin 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.