Is Tomato Paste Acidic or Alkaline?
Tomato paste (canned) is strongly alkaline: Negative PRAL: alkalizing after digestion.
Classification
Tomato paste is strongly alkaline at −21.2 because it is cooked-down tomato concentrate: the potassium of many tomatoes fits into one small tube. Fresh tomatoes are at −4.2. A heaping tablespoon of about 20 g in your sauce adds about −4, which offsets a 100 g serving of spätzle (+3.7).
In the Herbs, Spices & Sauces category, tomato paste (canned) ranks #15 of 75, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Pesto, red (−22.0), Cardamom powder (−22.6), Cinnamon powder (−23.8). More acid-forming are Anise (−18.2), Curry powder (−17.3), Bay leaf (−17.2).
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is tomato paste 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: Tomato paste (canned) has a PRAL of −21.2 per 100 g, so it counts as strongly alkaline in your daily acid-base balance.
How much tomato paste do I need for a noticeable effect?
A teaspoon (5 g) of tomato paste adds −1.1 to your daily balance. For comparison: an egg is around +5.4, a slice of cheese around +6. So one serving of tomato paste roughly offsets one of them.
Why is tomato paste 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. Tomato paste provides more potassium, magnesium and calcium than phosphorus and protein, so the balance is negative (−21.2).
Tomato Paste 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.