Are Rice Noodles Acidic or Alkaline?
Rice noodles (cooked) are slightly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Cooked rice noodles come in at +2.1 and are mildly acid-forming. Rice starch brings only a little protein and phosphorus, and the cooking water dilutes it further. Raw, they are still at +8.0. In pho or pad thai, the meat, egg, peanuts and vegetables shape the value of the bowl more than the noodles themselves.
In the Grains, Bread & Pasta category, rice noodles (cooked) rank #23 of 121, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Tagliatelle (+2.0), Egg noodles (+2.0), Brown rice (+1.9). More acid-forming are Pumpernickel (+2.3), Pearled barley (+2.3), Couscous (durum) (+2.5).
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.
Rice noodles: cooked, raw
Same food, different state. All values per 100 g.
| State | PRAL |
|---|---|
| cooked | +2.1 |
| raw | +8.0 |
What balances rice noodles
A small side (100 g) of rice noodles adds +2.1 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are rice noodles 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 noodles (cooked) have a PRAL of +2.1 per 100 g, so they count as slightly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much lamb's lettuce offsets a small side (100 g) of rice noodles?
A small side (100 g) of rice noodles adds +2.1 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 rice noodles on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Rice noodles are slightly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Rice noodles, cooked or raw: which is more alkaline?
Rice noodles (cooked) is at +2.1, Rice noodles (raw) at +8.0. So the "cooked" version is more alkaline. Differences come from water content, cooking water or concentration during drying.
Rice Noodles logged, balance checked.
Basentracker adds up every meal automatically and shows whether your day is in the alkaline range. The same values as on this page, all 977 foods, photo scan, recipes.
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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.