Is Spelt Pasta Acidic or Alkaline?
Spelt pasta (raw) is acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Raw spelt pasta comes in at +7.3, but that value only applies to what's in the package. Cooked, it's +3.7, because the pasta absorbs water and the protein is spread over more weight. For your daily balance, use the cooked value and the cooked weight. The 358 kcal per 100 g also refer to the dry pasta. On your plate, the same portion weighs much more.
In the Grains, Bread & Pasta category, spelt pasta (raw) ranks #100 of 121, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Wholemeal spaghetti (+7.3), Wholemeal pasta (+7.3), Spelt flour type 630 (+7.3). More acid-forming are Quinoa (+7.4), Multigrain cereals (+7.7), Spelt roll (+7.8).
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.
Spelt pasta: raw, cooked
Same food, different state. All values per 100 g.
| State | PRAL |
|---|---|
| cooked | +3.7 |
| raw | +7.3 |
What balances spelt pasta
A dry serving (50 g) of spelt pasta adds +3.7 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is spelt pasta 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 pasta (raw) has a PRAL of +7.3 per 100 g, so it counts as acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much lamb's lettuce offsets a dry serving (50 g) of spelt pasta?
A dry serving (50 g) of spelt pasta adds +3.7 to your daily balance. Lamb's lettuce (fresh) has −8.3 per 100 g, so about 40 g of lamb's lettuce offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid spelt pasta on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Spelt pasta is acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Spelt pasta, raw or cooked: which is more alkaline?
Spelt pasta (raw) is at +7.3, Spelt pasta (cooked) at +3.7. So the "cooked" version is more alkaline. Differences come from water content, cooking water or concentration during drying.
Spelt Pasta 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.