Are Red Lentils Acidic or Alkaline?
Red lentils (cooked) are slightly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Cooked red lentils come in at +3.9 because legumes bring a lot of protein and phosphorus, which their potassium doesn't fully offset. Raw, they're at +8.6. During cooking, the lentils absorb water, which dilutes the value. In a dal with tomatoes, spinach and ginger, the whole bowl moves a good way toward neutral.
In the Legumes category, red lentils (cooked) rank #22 of 26, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Lentils (+3.7), Lentils (+3.1), Peas (+2.5). More acid-forming are Lentils (+4.8), Sweet lupins (+5.2), Sweet lupins (+5.4).
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.
Red lentils: cooked, raw
Same food, different state. All values per 100 g.
| State | PRAL |
|---|---|
| cooked | +3.9 |
| raw | +8.6 |
What balances red lentils
A cooked serving (150 g) of red lentils adds +5.9 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are red lentils 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: Red lentils (cooked) have a PRAL of +3.9 per 100 g, so they count as slightly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much avocado offsets a cooked serving (150 g) of red lentils?
A cooked serving (150 g) of red lentils adds +5.9 to your daily balance. Avocado (ripe) has −9.9 per 100 g, so about 60 g of avocado offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid red lentils on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Red lentils are slightly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Red lentils, cooked or raw: which is more alkaline?
Red lentils (cooked) is at +3.9, Red lentils (raw) at +8.6. So the "cooked" version is more alkaline. Differences come from water content, cooking water or concentration during drying.
Red Lentils logged, balance checked.
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Compare all Legumes: Legumes 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.