Is Raw Ham Acidic or Alkaline?
Raw ham (prepared) is acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Raw ham comes in at +9.4, a bit above smoked ham (+8.2), because air-drying removes water and concentrates protein and phosphorus per 100 g. At 270 kcal, it's also considerably fattier. Served the classic way with melon, the fruit adds potassium to the plate and takes away part of the ham's acid load.
In the Meat & Sausages category, raw ham (prepared) ranks #31 of 67, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Pork tenderloin (+9.3), Lamb fillet (+9.3), Roast beef (+9.2). More acid-forming are Landjaeger sausage (+9.4), Mettwurst sausage (+9.5), Beef roulade meat (+9.6).
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 raw ham
A serving (125 g) of raw ham adds +11.7 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is raw ham 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: Raw ham (prepared) has a PRAL of +9.4 per 100 g, so it counts as acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much kale offsets a serving (125 g) of raw ham?
A serving (125 g) of raw ham adds +11.7 to your daily balance. Kale (fresh) has −11.7 per 100 g, so about 100 g of kale offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid raw ham on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Raw ham is acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Raw Ham 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.