The formula to calculate Potential Renal Acid Load is an important formula for anyone considering following the alkaline acid diet. Based on their nutritional contents, it allows you to determine whether a food is acid or alkaline forming. Positive numbers indicate an acidifying effect and negative numbers are indicative of alkalizing foods. Some foodstuffs may even produce a result very close to zero which implies the food or drink has a pH neutral effect.

Various scientific papers have been published on the topic of PRAL. The formula comes from a paper published in 1995.

Applying the formula to the nutritional values of fruit and vegetables shows that they are alkaline foods. As an example of an alkaline fruit, Florida oranges produce a negative PRAL value.

The science behind the alkaline acid diet helps to add validity to a dietary protocol that many people today believe in. Eating more alkaline foods, almost all of which are fruit and vegetables is no bad thing for our health!