Are Tacos (Beef) Acidic or Alkaline?
Tacos (beef) (prepared) are acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Beef tacos come in at +9.6, which makes them clearly acid-forming: ground beef and cheese bring a lot of protein and phosphorus, the tortilla adds a bit more, and lettuce and tomato offset only a little with their potassium. Three tacos totaling 300 g add up to just under +29. More lettuce, tomato and avocado instead of cheese improve the ratio. PRAL doesn't measure fat and salt.
In the Meals & Fast Food category, tacos (beef) (prepared) rank #113 of 118, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Sauerbraten (with gravy) (+9.4), Wiener schnitzel (veal) (+8.9), Double cheeseburger (McDonald´s) (+8.9). More acid-forming are Chicken wings (fast food) (+9.6), Pizza Quattro Formaggi (+9.7), Schnitzel Viennese style (breaded) (+10.8).
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.
What balances tacos (beef)
A meal (300 g) of tacos (beef) adds +28.8 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are tacos (beef) 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: Tacos (beef) (prepared) have a PRAL of +9.6 per 100 g, so they count as acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much kale offsets a meal (300 g) of tacos (beef)?
A meal (300 g) of tacos (beef) adds +28.8 to your daily balance. Kale (fresh) has −11.7 per 100 g, so about 250 g of kale offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid tacos (beef) on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Tacos (beef) are acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Tacos (Beef) logged, balance checked.
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Compare all Meals & Fast Food: Meals & Fast Food 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.