Is Sweet Mustard Acidic or Alkaline?
Sweet mustard (prepared) is slightly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Sweet mustard, the Bavarian kind served with Weisswurst, comes in at +1.8. That's a bit lower than medium-hot mustard (+2.3), because sugar and water further dilute the share of phosphorus-rich mustard seed. Sugar has no PRAL effect but supplies a large part of the 177 kcal per 100 g. Eaten with Bavarian veal sausage at +7.5, the mustard is clearly the smaller issue.
In the Herbs, Spices & Sauces category, sweet mustard (prepared) ranks #63 of 75, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Mayonnaise (+1.5), Pesto, green (+1.3), Soy sauce (+1.2). More acid-forming are Teriyaki sauce (+2.0), Mustard, medium hot (+2.3), French dressing (+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 sweet mustard
A teaspoon (5 g) of sweet mustard adds +0.1 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is sweet mustard 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: Sweet mustard (prepared) has a PRAL of +1.8 per 100 g, so it counts as slightly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
Do I have to avoid sweet mustard on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Sweet mustard is slightly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Sweet Mustard 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 Herbs, Spices & Sauces: Herbs, Spices & Sauces 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.