Is Turmeric Powder Acidic or Alkaline?
Turmeric powder (dried) is strongly alkaline: Negative PRAL: alkalizing after digestion.
Classification
Turmeric powder reaches −35.5 because the dried, ground rhizome contains highly concentrated potassium and magnesium. But you season with small amounts: a teaspoon of about 3 g in a curry or dal comes to about −1. In everyday cooking, the high value per 100 g translates into a small but regular contribution.
In the Herbs, Spices & Sauces category, turmeric powder (dried) ranks #6 of 75, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Paprika powder (−36.2), Oregano (−44.4), Sage (−46.5). More acid-forming are Chili powder (−31.4), Cayenne pepper (−31.4), Cloves powder (−29.6).
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.
Goes well with
Frequently Asked Questions
Is turmeric powder 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: Turmeric powder (dried) has a PRAL of −35.5 per 100 g, so it counts as strongly alkaline in your daily acid-base balance.
How much turmeric powder do I need for a noticeable effect?
A teaspoon (5 g) of turmeric powder adds −1.8 to your daily balance. For comparison: an egg is around +5.4, a slice of cheese around +6. So one serving of turmeric powder roughly offsets one of them.
Why is turmeric powder 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. Turmeric powder provides more potassium, magnesium and calcium than phosphorus and protein, so the balance is negative (−35.5).
Turmeric Powder 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.