Is Whole Spelt Flour Acidic or Alkaline?
Whole spelt flour (raw) is acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Whole spelt flour reaches +10.5, more than light type 630 flour. The outer layers do contain magnesium and potassium, but even more phosphorus, so the acid load per 100 g goes up. Whole grain is the better choice for other reasons, such as fiber, not because of the PRAL. In finished bread, the water in the dough noticeably dilutes the value.
In the Grains, Bread & Pasta category, whole spelt flour (raw) ranks #114 of 121, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Wheat tortilla (wrap) (+10.0), Corn flour (+9.7), Spelt flakes (+9.3). More acid-forming are Fusilli (+10.9), Pasta (+10.9), Penne (+10.9).
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 whole spelt flour
A dry serving (50 g) of whole spelt flour adds +5.2 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is whole spelt flour 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: Whole spelt flour (raw) has a PRAL of +10.5 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 whole spelt flour?
A dry serving (50 g) of whole spelt flour adds +5.2 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 whole spelt flour on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Whole spelt flour is acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Whole Spelt Flour logged, balance checked.
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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.