Are Potatoes Acidic or Alkaline?

The pH of a potato can vary slightly according to the variety, where it grows, how long it is stored, and other factors. However, it won’t change significantly.

However, if you’re deciding whether to consume potatoes as part of an alkaline diet, their pH is likely irrelevant for reasons we will explain below.

Here, learn more about the pH of potatoes and how pH affects them.

The pH can vary slightly according to the variety, where it grows, how long it is stored, and other factors. However, it won’t change significantly.

Monique Richard, RDN, an integrative and functional dietitian nutritionist at the University of Western States and former president of the International Affiliate of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, explains that the pH of a potato is unlikely to impact your body significantly.

“While varieties of potato may differ in mineral content, starch structure, and digestibility, there is no strong data indicating major differences in acid/alkaline pH values that matter for health outcomes,” says Richard.

Until recently, measuring potato pH involved taking samples for laboratory testing. This wasn’t always very precise or efficient, and taking samples led to wasted produce.

“Cooking a potato will change its texture, digestibility, and nutrient availability,” says Richard, “but it’s unlikely to meaningfully change the inherent pH of the cooked flesh in a way that matters for overall health.”

Conversely, adding acid or alkaline ingredients during cooking may change the texture of potatoes.

In a video, an ACS scientist explains how roasting potatoes in a lower pH keeps the chemical bonds around the potato strong, while increasing the pH weakens them.

In other words, adding vinegar to water when you boil potatoes should encourage them to hold together, while adding baking soda should help them fall apart.

Richard also notes that changing the cooking method may slightly shift the mineral and starch structure, and this could influence acid-load metrics like PRAL, which estimates how a food may impact urinary acid excretion.

However, she notes the impact is minimal compared to the way your body regulates its own pH levels. It also seems unlikely to change the pH of the potato, and no research has so far suggested it does.

“Whether you call a potato ‘acid-forming’ or ‘alkaline-forming’ misses the bigger picture,” says Richard. Also essential are your overall dietary pattern and current health condition.

• Better weight management
• More energy
• A lower risk of conditions such as cancer and osteoporosis

According to Whitney Linsenmeyer, PhD, RD and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, “Current science does not support any proven benefits of following an alkaline diet.”

Dr. Linsenmeyer goes on to explain: “Different compartments of the body have natural differences in acidity. For example, the stomach is very acidic due to the presence of hydrochloric acid, whereas the blood is slightly basic.”

She adds: “The body is busy at work regulating the pH of different parts of the body and really doesn't need our help in doing so by eating or avoiding specific foods.”

Richard, too, says, “The human body tightly regulates blood pH (around 7.35–7.45) via the lungs, kidneys, and buffering systems. Diet has minimal impact on blood pH under normal health conditions.”

Richard points out that an alkaline diet may have benefits, but not related to your body’s acid-alkali balance.

“Diets touted as ‘alkaline’ typically emphasize fruits, vegetables, legumes, and minimize processed meats and refined foods," she explains. “That pattern often supports health with observed benefits such as lower blood pressure, improved kidney markers, and better weight outcomes, but not from 'alkalizing' the body.”

Linsenmeyer agrees that the alkaline diet generally promotes nutrient-dense foods, such as whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, but also notes, “It unnecessarily limits other important foods, such as dairy and eggs.”

In Richard’s opinion, it’s more important to focus on whole, minimally processed foods rather than whether a food is labeled acid or alkaline.

“The real return comes from dietary quality, balanced patterns, meeting nutrient needs, and sustainable behavior for your individual needs,” Richard adds.

However, following an alkaline diet will not resolve these health conditions. Instead, as Richard notes, you’ll need medical nutrition therapy (MNT) with a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) to address your individual needs, such as your potassium or glycemic load.

Prepared whole, rather than deep-fried or cooked in oil, they can play an important role in a balanced and nutritious diet.

As Richard explains, they can be “a versatile, tasty, satisfying and affordable cornerstone in a healthy dietary pattern.”

Richard suggests choosing different varieties — such as fingerlings, red, purple, and yukon gold — to get a variety of nutrients or just for a change.

In short, she concludes, “Being laser-focused about one variety being ‘acid-forming’ and another ‘alkaline-forming’ may be counterproductive to overall health, and the purpose of curating a nutritious meal.”

• Potatoes, whether raw or cooked, have a pH of around 5 or 6, making them slightly acidic.
• However, some experts call potatoes alkaline as the nutrients they contain reduce the risk of acidic load on the kidneys.
• Cooking potatoes may not change their pH, although storage and other factors may change it slightly.
• Eating or avoiding potatoes is unlikely to affect your body’s pH balance, but potatoes can play a role in a nutritious and balanced diet.