Are Wholemeal Spaghetti Acidic or Alkaline?
Wholemeal spaghetti (raw) are acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Raw wholemeal spaghetti reaches +7.3, well below raw white spaghetti (+10.9). The whole grain brings more phosphorus but also more potassium and magnesium, which push back noticeably here. Cooked, the value drops to +4.2 because the pasta absorbs more than its own weight in water. So the cooked value is what counts for your plate.
In the Grains, Bread & Pasta category, wholemeal spaghetti (raw) rank #99 of 121, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Spelt flour type 630 (+7.3), Wheat berries (+7.1), Instant oats (+6.8). More acid-forming are Spelt pasta (+7.3), Quinoa (+7.4), Multigrain cereals (+7.7).
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.
Wholemeal spaghetti: raw, cooked
Same food, different state. All values per 100 g.
| State | PRAL |
|---|---|
| cooked | +4.2 |
| raw | +7.3 |
What balances wholemeal spaghetti
A dry serving (50 g) of wholemeal spaghetti adds +3.7 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are wholemeal spaghetti 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: Wholemeal spaghetti (raw) have a PRAL of +7.3 per 100 g, so they count as acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much avocado offsets a dry serving (50 g) of wholemeal spaghetti?
A dry serving (50 g) of wholemeal spaghetti adds +3.7 to your daily balance. Avocado (ripe) has −9.9 per 100 g, so about 40 g of avocado offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid wholemeal spaghetti on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Wholemeal spaghetti are acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Wholemeal spaghetti, raw or cooked: which is more alkaline?
Wholemeal spaghetti (raw) is at +7.3, Wholemeal spaghetti (cooked) at +4.2. So the "cooked" version is more alkaline. Differences come from water content, cooking water or concentration during drying.
Wholemeal Spaghetti 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.
Free for Android · iPhone coming soon
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.