Are Roasted Cashews (Salted) Acidic or Alkaline?
Roasted cashews (salted) (prepared) are acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Roasted cashews are in the acid-forming range at +7.2 because, among nuts, they're especially high in protein and phosphorus, and their magnesium doesn't make up for it. Roasting concentrates the value slightly through water loss, and the salt doesn't matter for the PRAL. A handful is moderate in your daily balance. At 594 kcal per 100 g, the calories weigh more than the acid.
In the Nuts & Seeds category, roasted cashews (salted) (prepared) rank #23 of 29, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Pine nuts (+7.2), Roasted peanuts (unsalted) (+7.2), Cashews (+7.1). More acid-forming are Brazil nuts (+8.0), Almonds (+10.5), Sunflower seeds (+11.9).
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 roasted cashews (salted)
A handful (30 g) of roasted cashews (salted) adds +2.2 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are roasted cashews (salted) 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: Roasted cashews (salted) (prepared) have a PRAL of +7.2 per 100 g, so they count as acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much spinach offsets a handful (30 g) of roasted cashews (salted)?
A handful (30 g) of roasted cashews (salted) adds +2.2 to your daily balance. Spinach (fresh) has −12.2 per 100 g, so about 20 g of spinach offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid roasted cashews (salted) on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Roasted cashews (salted) are acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Roasted Cashews (Salted) logged, balance checked.
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Compare all Nuts & Seeds: Nuts & Seeds 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.