Is Potato Salad (with Mayonnaise) Acidic or Alkaline?
Potato salad (with mayonnaise) (prepared) is alkaline: Negative PRAL: alkalizing after digestion.
Classification
Dressed with mayonnaise, potato salad comes in at −3.8, only slightly less low than the vinegar-and-oil version, because the egg yolk adds a little protein and phosphorus. So the dressing matters little for the balance, but more for calories: 154 kcal per 100 g. With sausages, it is still the side dish that pushes back.
In the Meals & Fast Food category, potato salad (with mayonnaise) (prepared) ranks #7 of 118, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Potato gratin (−4.0), Potato salad (vinaigrette) (−4.6), Frozen french fries (−6.8). More acid-forming are Mashed potatoes (−3.7), Vegetable curry ready meal (−3.7), Potato pancakes (−3.7).
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 potato salad (with mayonnaise) 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: Potato salad (with mayonnaise) (prepared) has a PRAL of −3.8 per 100 g, so it counts as alkaline in your daily acid-base balance.
How much potato salad (with mayonnaise) do I need for a noticeable effect?
A meal (300 g) of potato salad (with mayonnaise) adds −11.3 to your daily balance. For comparison: an egg is around +5.4, a slice of cheese around +6. So one serving of potato salad (with mayonnaise) roughly offsets one of them.
Why is potato salad (with mayonnaise) alkaline even though it is not a typical alkaline food?
The PRAL depends on the minerals left over after digestion, not on taste or pH. Potato salad (with mayonnaise) provides more potassium, magnesium and calcium than phosphorus and protein, so the balance is negative (−3.8).
Potato Salad (with Mayonnaise) 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 Meals & Fast Food: Meals & Fast Food 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.