Is Alpine Cheese (Bergkäse) Acidic or Alkaline?
Alpine cheese (Bergkäse) (raw) is strongly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Alpine cheese (Bergkäse) ripens for months. It loses water along the way and concentrates protein and phosphorus so strongly that its abundant calcium can't keep up: +22.5 per 100 g, much more than soft cheeses such as Brie. On a snack board, it's worth adding companions. Radishes, cucumber or pear take away part of the acid load of a piece. Shaved paper-thin, less cheese still gives you plenty of flavor.
In the Cheese category, alpine cheese (Bergkäse) (raw) ranks #36 of 37, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Emmental cheese (+21.0), Appenzeller cheese (+20.9), Gruyere cheese (+20.5). More acid-forming are Parmesan cheese (+29.6).
Acidic or alkaline: PRAL, not pH
On this site, acidic and alkaline refer to the PRAL (potential renal acid load). It estimates what a food leaves behind once it has been digested: a positive value is acid-forming, a negative value is alkalizing. That is different from the pH of the food itself: a lemon tastes sour, yet its PRAL is −4.0, so it is alkalizing. Your diet does not change your blood pH. It does change how much acid your kidneys have to deal with.
What balances alpine cheese (Bergkäse)
A slice (30 g) of alpine cheese (Bergkäse) adds +6.8 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is alpine cheese (Bergkäse) acidic?
It depends on what you mean by acidic. The pH describes the food itself, for example how sour it tastes. The PRAL describes what it leaves behind after digestion: Alpine cheese (Bergkäse) (raw) has a PRAL of +22.5 per 100 g, so it counts as strongly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much kale offsets a slice (30 g) of alpine cheese (Bergkäse)?
A slice (30 g) of alpine cheese (Bergkäse) adds +6.8 to your daily balance. Kale (fresh) has −11.7 per 100 g, so about 60 g of kale offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid alpine cheese (Bergkäse) on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Alpine cheese (Bergkäse) is strongly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Alpine Cheese (Bergkäse) logged, balance checked.
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Compare all Cheese: Cheese table. Common questions are answered in Acidic or Alkaline?, and the PRAL calculator adds up a whole meal.
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.