Is Wheat Bran Acidic or Alkaline?
Wheat bran (raw) is acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Wheat bran comes in at +9.2, above whole wheat flour (+6.3), because it consists of the outer layers of the grain, where phosphorus and protein collect. Its plentiful magnesium and potassium offset this only in part. Two tablespoons totaling 15 g in your muesli add just under +1.4, which is manageable for your daily balance.
In the Grains, Bread & Pasta category, wheat bran (raw) ranks #109 of 121, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Emmer (farro) (+8.7), Corn pasta (+8.2), Millet flakes, whole grain (+8.1). More acid-forming are Spelt, whole kernel (+9.3), Spelt flakes (+9.3), Corn flour (+9.7).
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 wheat bran
A dry serving (50 g) of wheat bran adds +4.6 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is wheat bran 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: Wheat bran (raw) has a PRAL of +9.2 per 100 g, so it counts as acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much spinach offsets a dry serving (50 g) of wheat bran?
A dry serving (50 g) of wheat bran adds +4.6 to your daily balance. Spinach (fresh) has −12.2 per 100 g, so about 40 g of spinach offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid wheat bran on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Wheat bran is acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Wheat Bran 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 Grains, Bread & Pasta: Grains, Bread & Pasta 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.