Are Rice Cakes (Unsalted) Acidic or Alkaline?
Rice cakes (unsalted) (prepared) are acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Unsalted rice cakes come in at +6.2, because puffing removes almost all the water and leaves the grain's protein and phosphorus concentrated per 100 g. A single rice cake is very light, though, so in practice the topping matters most: avocado or tomato slices pull the balance toward alkaline, while cheese or cold cuts add to the acid load.
In the Grains, Bread & Pasta category, rice cakes (unsalted) (prepared) rank #85 of 121, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Durum wheat semolina (+6.2), Green spelt (+6.1), Spelt bread (+6.1). More acid-forming are Teff (+6.3), Whole wheat flour (+6.3), Wheat flour type 1050 (+6.5).
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 rice cakes (unsalted)
A dry serving (50 g) of rice cakes (unsalted) adds +3.1 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are rice cakes (unsalted) 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: Rice cakes (unsalted) (prepared) have a PRAL of +6.2 per 100 g, so they count as acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much lamb's lettuce offsets a dry serving (50 g) of rice cakes (unsalted)?
A dry serving (50 g) of rice cakes (unsalted) adds +3.1 to your daily balance. Lamb's lettuce (fresh) has −8.3 per 100 g, so about 40 g of lamb's lettuce offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid rice cakes (unsalted) on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Rice cakes (unsalted) are acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Rice Cakes (Unsalted) 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.