Use The PRAL Chart To Alkalize Your Body

If you’ve ever wondered about the impact of food on body acid levels, this article is for you! I’m going to talk about the PRAL chart - a measure of the “potential renal acid load” of a food. Specifically, it’s a measure of the amount of acid that is produced when a food is metabolized in the body. Higher PRAL values indicate more acid is produced from your food.  Negative PRAL values indicate that base (the opposite of acid) is produced. The total PRAL of your diet is the balance of the acid and base produced by your diet throughout the day.

To estimate PRAL values, the following parameters are necessary:

• Protein, chloride, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium content of a food

• How fast a nutrient is absorbed by the intestine

• The presence of the mineral sulfate made from certain amino acids

• How fast phosphorus from foods will be absorbed by the body at a pH of 7.4

• How quickly calcium can affect bond with magnesium

The total net acid excretion or PRAL score is determined by looking at all the substances that are produced when these foods are digested, as well as normal urine production versus the additional components produced from high acid foods.

Don’t worry about the technical sounding aspect, we have a chart you can follow easily…

It’s important to know the PRAL of foods because it can help you to make more informed dietary choices. A diet too high in acid-producing foods can put an increased strain on the kidneys and lead to health issues in the long term.