Is Soy Drink (Unsweetened) Acidic or Alkaline?
Soy drink (unsweetened) (raw) is alkaline: Negative PRAL: alkalizing after digestion.
Classification
Unsweetened soy drink has a PRAL of −1.6 per 100 ml and is mildly alkaline. Its high water content dilutes the soy protein, and the bean's potassium wins out. For comparison, goat milk sits at +0.1. A 200 ml glass in your muesli or coffee adds about −3.2, a small step toward the alkaline side.
In the Plant-Based Alternatives category, soy drink (unsweetened) (raw) ranks #6 of 21, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Rice drink (unsweetened) (−1.7), Silken tofu (−2.0), Coconut milk (−2.1). More acid-forming are Almond milk (unsweetened) (−1.3), Oat drink (unsweetened) (−1.2), Coconut yogurt (plain) (−1.1).
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.
Goes well with
Frequently Asked Questions
Is soy drink (unsweetened) 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: Soy drink (unsweetened) (raw) has a PRAL of −1.6 per 100 ml, so it counts as alkaline in your daily acid-base balance.
How much soy drink (unsweetened) do I need for a noticeable effect?
100 ml of soy drink (unsweetened) adds −1.6 to your daily balance. For comparison: an egg is around +5.4, a slice of cheese around +6. So one serving of soy drink (unsweetened) roughly offsets one of them.
Why is soy drink (unsweetened) alkaline even though it is not a typical alkaline food?
The PRAL depends on the minerals left over after digestion, not on taste or pH. Soy drink (unsweetened) provides more potassium, magnesium and calcium than phosphorus and protein, so the balance is negative (−1.6).
Soy Drink (Unsweetened) 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.