Is Rye-wheat Bread Acidic or Alkaline?
Rye-wheat bread (baked) is slightly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Rye-wheat bread comes in at +2.8, between pumpernickel (+2.3) and plain rye bread (+3.0). It is acid-forming because rye and wheat flour bring protein and phosphorus that the rye's potassium does not fully offset. Two slices weighing 100 g together come to just under +3. The rest depends on what you put on top.
In the Grains, Bread & Pasta category, rye-wheat bread (baked) ranks #31 of 121, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Quinoa (+2.7), Wild rice (+2.6), Multigrain bread (+2.6). More acid-forming are Cornflakes (+3.0), Rye bread (+3.0), Egg noodles (+3.0).
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 rye-wheat bread
Two slices (100 g) of rye-wheat bread adds +2.8 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is rye-wheat bread 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: Rye-wheat bread (baked) has a PRAL of +2.8 per 100 g, so it counts as slightly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much kale offsets two slices (100 g) of rye-wheat bread?
Two slices (100 g) of rye-wheat bread adds +2.8 to your daily balance. Kale (fresh) has −11.7 per 100 g, so about 20 g of kale offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid rye-wheat bread on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Rye-wheat bread is slightly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Rye-wheat Bread 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.