Are Roasted Pistachios (Salted) Acidic or Alkaline?
Roasted pistachios (salted) (prepared) are slightly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Roasted pistachios stay only slightly acid-forming at +1.6 because, along with protein and phosphorus, they bring an unusual amount of potassium. Salted peanuts or cashews are several times higher. The salt on the shell doesn't count for the PRAL, and a handful is almost negligible in your daily tally, unlike the 588 kcal per 100 g.
In the Nuts & Seeds category, roasted pistachios (salted) (prepared) rank #9 of 29, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Poppy seeds (+0.9), Macadamia nuts (−1.1), Hazelnuts (−3.2). More acid-forming are Pecans (+2.0), Pistachios (+2.7), Almond butter (+3.7).
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 pistachios (salted)
A handful (30 g) of roasted pistachios (salted) adds +0.5 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are roasted pistachios (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 pistachios (salted) (prepared) have a PRAL of +1.6 per 100 g, so they count as slightly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
Do I have to avoid roasted pistachios (salted) on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Roasted pistachios (salted) are slightly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Roasted Pistachios (Salted) 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.
Free for Android · iPhone coming soon
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.