Tag: Potential renal acid load

Meat, including poultry like chicken, is generally classified as an acid-forming food in the body, which directly influences its potential renal acid load (PRAL). This means when digested, chicken wings contribute to the acid load your kidneys must process, rather than being inherently acidic like a lemon.

Interestingly, the acronym PRAL has two entirely distinct meanings depending on the context: one is a health metric related to dietary acid, while the other is an IT company supporting Pakistan's tax system. This duality often leads to confusion for those encountering the term for the first time.

According to a 2023 study, a higher dietary acid load is associated with a greater incidence of health problems, including kidney and bone diseases. The tool used to measure this is the PRAL food scale, which assesses how much acid or base a food produces after being metabolized by the body.

While the body maintains a very stable blood pH, some foods can cause a temporary, metabolically-derived acid load on the kidneys. The potential renal acid load, or PRAL value, measures this very effect, offering a valuable metric for understanding dietary habits.

Recent studies have shown that a diet high in potential renal acid load (PRAL) is associated with an increased risk of developing chronic kidney disease. Understanding the PRAL factor is crucial for managing dietary intake and supporting overall metabolic and renal health.

According to research, many sour sweets can have a pH as low as 1.7, making them highly acidic and damaging to teeth. When asking, 'are sweets acid or alkaline', the answer is more complex than a simple pH reading, depending on the type of sweet and its metabolic effect on the body.

The pH of human blood is kept in a remarkably tight range of 7.35 to 7.45, but certain foods can influence the body's metabolic acid load. Understanding whether fish is high in acidity requires distinguishing between a food's inherent pH and its metabolic effect on the body.

An October 2025 study in the *International Journal of Food Properties* used the Potential Renal Acid Load (PRAL) score to conclude that plant-based milk alternatives, including almond milk, are slightly alkalizing on average. The question, "does almond milk alkalize the body," is a common one for those following or considering an alkaline diet. However, its overall impact is minor compared to a balanced diet.

According to the Potential Renal Acid Load (PRAL) scale, soybeans have a negative score of -4.72, indicating they are a very alkaline-forming food. Despite some foods tasting acidic, it is their metabolic effect after digestion that determines their acid or alkaline-forming property, and soybeans fall firmly into the alkaline category.

While the body's pH is tightly regulated by the kidneys and lungs, diet can influence the body's acid load. Eggs, particularly due to their high protein content, are classified as acid-forming foods. This has led to concerns and myths about whether regular egg consumption can cause acidosis, a serious medical condition.