Is Quinoa Acidic or Alkaline?
Quinoa (cooked) is slightly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Cooked quinoa sits at +2.7, a bit above cooked white rice (+1.8), because it brings more protein and phosphorus; its potassium and magnesium offset this only partly. Raw, it is +7.4. During cooking, the grain absorbs lots of water, which dilutes the value. At 104 kcal per 100 g, it is a filling side dish.
In the Grains, Bread & Pasta category, quinoa (cooked) ranks #30 of 121, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Wild rice (+2.6), Multigrain bread (+2.6), Wholemeal bread (+2.6). More acid-forming are Rye-wheat bread (+2.8), Cornflakes (+3.0), Rye bread (+3.0).
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.
Quinoa: cooked, raw
Same food, different state. All values per 100 g.
| State | PRAL |
|---|---|
| cooked | +2.7 |
| raw | +7.4 |
What balances quinoa
A small side (100 g) of quinoa adds +2.7 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is quinoa 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: Quinoa (cooked) has a PRAL of +2.7 per 100 g, so it counts as slightly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much lamb's lettuce offsets a small side (100 g) of quinoa?
A small side (100 g) of quinoa adds +2.7 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 quinoa on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Quinoa is slightly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Quinoa, cooked or raw: which is more alkaline?
Quinoa (cooked) is at +2.7, Quinoa (raw) at +7.4. So the "cooked" version is more alkaline. Differences come from water content, cooking water or concentration during drying.
Quinoa 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.