Is Seitan Acidic or Alkaline?
Seitan (prepared) is strongly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Seitan consists almost entirely of wheat protein and therefore lands at +14.0, higher than many types of meat. When the starch is washed out, gluten and phosphorus stay behind, while alkalizing minerals are lost with the water. As a meat substitute, it offers no advantage for your acid balance. Tempeh, at +6.8, scores only half as high.
In the Plant-Based Alternatives category, seitan (prepared) ranks #19 of 21, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Tofu, plain (+8.3), Tofu, smoked (+8.0), Tempeh (+6.8). More acid-forming are Soy protein powder (+50.7), Soy protein isolate (+67.0).
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 seitan
100 g of seitan adds +14.0 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is seitan 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: Seitan (prepared) has a PRAL of +14.0 per 100 g, so it counts as strongly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much spinach offsets 100 g of seitan?
100 g of seitan adds +14.0 to your daily balance. Spinach (fresh) has −12.2 per 100 g, so about 120 g of spinach offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid seitan on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Seitan is strongly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Seitan 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 Plant-Based Alternatives: Plant-Based Alternatives 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.