Are White Beans Acidic or Alkaline?
White beans (boiled) are alkaline: Negative PRAL: alkalizing after digestion.
Classification
White beans are high in protein and still slightly alkaline. Potassium and magnesium just about balance the protein, and boiled, that comes to −1.2. That sets them apart from meat, fish and cheese, which deliver protein without that counterweight. Canned, the value tips to a neutral +0.4, because some of the minerals stay in the liquid. So you get a little more out of them when you cook them yourself.
In the Legumes category, white beans (boiled) rank #7 of 26, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Green peas (−1.9), Green beans (−2.0), Chickpea flour (−2.8). More acid-forming are Peas & carrots (−0.1), Fava beans (broad beans) (+0.2), Mung beans (+0.5).
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.
White beans: boiled, canned
Same food, different state. All values per 100 g.
| State | PRAL |
|---|---|
| boiled | −1.2 |
| canned | +0.4 |
Goes well with
Frequently Asked Questions
Are white beans 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: White beans (boiled) have a PRAL of −1.2 per 100 g, so they count as alkaline in your daily acid-base balance.
How much white beans do I need for a noticeable effect?
A cooked serving (150 g) of white beans 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 white beans roughly offsets one of them.
Why are white beans alkaline even though they are not typical alkaline foods?
The PRAL depends on the minerals left over after digestion, not on taste or pH. White beans provide more potassium, magnesium and calcium than phosphorus and protein, so the balance is negative (−1.2).
White beans, boiled or canned: which is more alkaline?
White beans (boiled) is at −1.2, White beans (canned) at +0.4. So the "boiled" version is more alkaline. Differences come from water content, cooking water or concentration during drying.
White Beans 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 Legumes: Legumes 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.