Is Pumpernickel Acidic or Alkaline?
Pumpernickel (baked) is slightly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Pumpernickel is only slightly acid-forming at +2.3: the coarse rye meal brings protein and phosphorus, and potassium from the whole grain offsets part of it. That puts it even a bit below ordinary rye bread (+3.0). A 50 g slice adds just under +1.2. Topped with radishes or cucumber, the bread ends up close to zero.
In the Grains, Bread & Pasta category, pumpernickel (baked) ranks #24 of 121, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Rice noodles (+2.1), Tagliatelle (+2.0), Egg noodles (+2.0). More acid-forming are Pearled barley (+2.3), Couscous (durum) (+2.5), Wholemeal bread (+2.6).
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 pumpernickel
Two slices (100 g) of pumpernickel adds +2.3 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is pumpernickel 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: Pumpernickel (baked) has a PRAL of +2.3 per 100 g, so it counts as slightly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much lamb's lettuce offsets two slices (100 g) of pumpernickel?
Two slices (100 g) of pumpernickel adds +2.3 to your daily balance. Lamb's lettuce (fresh) has −8.3 per 100 g, so about 30 g of lamb's lettuce offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid pumpernickel on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Pumpernickel is slightly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Pumpernickel logged, balance checked.
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Compare all Grains, Bread & Pasta: Grains, Bread & Pasta 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.