Announcing PRAL Calculator: Calculate the acidity/alkalinity of your diet

This week, I discussed the acid/alkaline balance of diet, and the PRAL approach to this theory. Today, I present the PRAL Calculator. It works similar to my calorie calculator.

• You search for the food you ate. If there are a lot of results you choose a category in the drop down box beneath the search box
• you click the add button next to the foods you ate to add them to a list that will appear to the right
• you change the amount (in grams) of the food you ate.

The total PRAL value of your diet will be calculated automatically. Lower is better.

I have said it before, but I will say it again: acid/alkaline balance is only one aspect of health. Use your common sense. Even if potato chips are very alkaline they are still very bad for you. Lentils are acid forming, but for most people they are a healthy addition to a diet rich in vegetables. The important thing to remember is that your diet should be based on vegetables and fruit, and that a diet based on vegetables and fruit is automatically alkaline. I also think that it is a good idea to lower grain intake, and eat more alkaline beans (See this list for a quick overview of which beans are alkaline). If legumes cause intestinal problems, see how to prevent gas when eating beans. As an added bonus, they are generally more nutritious than grains.

The PRAL calculator is still rather buggy. I plan to make one nutritional analysis program, combining the calorie calculator and PRAL calculator, and adding more values (please let me know if there is anything in particular you would find useful). This is more difficult than expected, and my programming time is very limited at the moment, so I just release what I have now, in the hope that it is useful for some people. I appreciate all feedback. Please e-mail me or leave a comment!

Related posts

• The acid/alkaline connection to health
• Explanation of the PRAL formula and a list with PRAL values of common plant foods

May 27, 2006