Is Ramen Noodle Soup Acidic or Alkaline?
Ramen noodle soup (prepared) is slightly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
A bowl of ramen is clearly acid-forming at +3.8 per 100 ml. Wheat noodles, meat toppings, egg and a rich broth bring protein and phosphorus, while spring onions and bok choy add only a little potassium to offset them. A large 500 ml bowl adds up to about +19. By the way, PRAL doesn't capture the broth's high salt content.
In the Meals & Fast Food category, ramen noodle soup (prepared) ranks #75 of 118, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Spätzle (+3.7), Veggie burger (+3.6), Beef goulash (+3.5). More acid-forming are Hamburger (McDonald´s) (+3.8), Sushi with tuna (+4.0), Tarte flambée (+4.1).
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 ramen noodle soup
A meal (300 g) of ramen noodle soup adds +11.4 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ramen noodle soup 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: Ramen noodle soup (prepared) has a PRAL of +3.8 per 100 ml, so it counts as slightly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much lamb's lettuce offsets a meal (300 g) of ramen noodle soup?
A meal (300 g) of ramen noodle soup adds +11.4 to your daily balance. Lamb's lettuce (fresh) has −8.3 per 100 g, so about 140 g of lamb's lettuce offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid ramen noodle soup on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Ramen noodle soup is slightly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Ramen Noodle Soup logged, balance checked.
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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.