Is Spelt Bread Acidic or Alkaline?
Spelt bread (baked) is acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Spelt bread reaches +6.1, because spelt has more protein than wheat, and the protein together with phosphorus carries the acid load. That's more than mixed or rye rolls but less than whole kernels, because the dough binds water and stretches the protein over more weight. At 221 kcal per 100 g, it's a regular bread, not an especially light one.
In the Grains, Bread & Pasta category, spelt bread (baked) ranks #82 of 121, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Puffed rice cereal (+6.0), Couscous (durum) (+5.9), Amaranth (+5.9). More acid-forming are Green spelt (+6.1), Durum wheat semolina (+6.2), Rice cakes (unsalted) (+6.2).
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 spelt bread
Two slices (100 g) of spelt bread adds +6.1 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is spelt 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: Spelt bread (baked) has a PRAL of +6.1 per 100 g, so it counts as acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much avocado offsets two slices (100 g) of spelt bread?
Two slices (100 g) of spelt bread adds +6.1 to your daily balance. Avocado (ripe) has −9.9 per 100 g, so about 60 g of avocado offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid spelt bread on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Spelt bread is acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Spelt 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.