Is Turkey Meat Acidic or Alkaline?
Turkey meat (raw) is acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Clearly acid-forming, turkey meat averages +10.1 raw, because muscle protein and phosphorus face hardly any potassium. Breast alone is a bit higher at +13.0. Sliced and cooked with mushrooms, bell peppers and rice, the acid load spreads across the plate. The vegetables bring potassium, but the meat remains the dominant part.
In the Meat & Sausages category, turkey meat (raw) ranks #39 of 67, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Rabbit meat (+10.0), Liver sausage spread (+10.0), Liver sausage (+10.0). More acid-forming are Duck meat (without skin) (+10.1), Chicken breast (+10.2), Bierschinken (ham sausage) (+10.3).
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 turkey meat
A serving (125 g) of turkey meat adds +12.6 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is turkey meat 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: Turkey meat (raw) has a PRAL of +10.1 per 100 g, so it counts as acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much avocado offsets a serving (125 g) of turkey meat?
A serving (125 g) of turkey meat adds +12.6 to your daily balance. Avocado (ripe) has −9.9 per 100 g, so about 130 g of avocado offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid turkey meat on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Turkey meat is acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Turkey Meat 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 Meat & Sausages: Meat & Sausages 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.