Is Coke Acidic or Alkaline?
Acid-forming, but only barely: at +0.5 per 100 ml, Coke sits right on the line to mildly acid-forming. The real downside of Coke is the sugar, and sugar doesn't show up in the PRAL.
Why coke is acid-forming
Coke contains phosphoric acid, and phosphorus counts as acid-forming in the PRAL formula. The amount is small: one can comes to +1.7, while 100 g of chicken breast comes to +13.2. Sugar-free Coke is about the same at +0.6, and caffeine-free Coke is at +0.5. Clear lemonade and energy drinks are at 0.0, and sweetened iced tea is at −0.2.
For your health, something else matters with Coke: one can has 135 kcal, almost all of it from sugar. Blood sugar, teeth and calorie balance play no part in the PRAL calculation. Coke isn't an acid problem. It's a sugar problem.
Acidic or alkaline: PRAL, not pH
The PRAL (potential renal acid load) estimates what a food leaves behind after digestion. It is not the pH of the food itself: a lemon tastes sour, yet its PRAL is −4.0. If you are asking whether coke is acidic because of heartburn or reflux, that is a question of pH and your stomach, which the PRAL does not measure; talk to your doctor about it.
Coke in different forms: raw, cooked, processed
How the PRAL changes with state and product. All values per 100 g or 100 ml.
| Food | PRAL |
|---|---|
| Coke (prepared) | +0.5 |
| Coke, sugar-free (prepared) | +0.6 |
| Coke, without coffein (prepared) | +0.5 |
| Lemonade, clear (prepared) | 0.0 |
| Iced tea (lemon, sweetened) (prepared) | −0.2 |
| Energy drink (sweetened) (prepared) | 0.0 |
Alkaline foods that balance it
Frequently Asked Questions
Is sugar-free Coke acidic?
Just as barely as regular Coke: +0.6 per 100 ml. The phosphoric acid is still there. Only the sugar is gone.
Does Coke make your body too acidic?
No. One can comes to +1.7, and 100 g of carrot (−6.3) offsets that several times over. The problem with Coke is the sugar, not the acid.
Coke and everything else on your plate: calculated automatically.
Basentracker adds up the PRAL of every meal and shows whether your day is in the alkaline range. Over 950 foods, photo scan, recipes, free.
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More drinks compared
All drinks with their PRAL: Drinks table. Back to the overview Acidic or Alkaline?, or put together a meal in the PRAL calculator.
Source: Basentracker food database (PRAL according to Remer & Manz, calculated from protein, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and calcium per 100 g). This information does not replace medical advice.