Is Roast Beef Acidic or Alkaline?
Roast beef (raw) is acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Before braising, roast beef comes in at +9.2, because lean muscle meat provides a lot of protein and phosphorus with little potassium. During braising, water escapes, so the prepared value per 100 g rises to +12.9. Red cabbage and potato dumplings on the side are not just tradition. They also offset part of the meat portion.
In the Meat & Sausages category, roast beef (raw) ranks #28 of 67, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Beef, general (+9.0), Chicken, whole (with skin) (+8.9), Beef tenderloin (+8.7). More acid-forming are Lamb fillet (+9.3), Pork tenderloin (+9.3), Raw ham (+9.4).
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.
Roast beef: raw, prepared
Same food, different state. All values per 100 g.
| State | PRAL |
|---|---|
| raw | +9.2 |
| prepared | +12.9 |
What balances roast beef
A serving (125 g) of roast beef adds +11.6 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is roast beef 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: Roast beef (raw) has a PRAL of +9.2 per 100 g, so it counts as acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much spinach offsets a serving (125 g) of roast beef?
A serving (125 g) of roast beef adds +11.6 to your daily balance. Spinach (fresh) has −12.2 per 100 g, so about 100 g of spinach offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid roast beef on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Roast beef is acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Roast beef, raw or prepared: which is more alkaline?
Roast beef (raw) is at +9.2, Roast beef (prepared) at +12.9. So the "raw" version is more alkaline. Differences come from water content, cooking water or concentration during drying.
Roast Beef 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 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.