Is Appenzeller Cheese Acidic or Alkaline?
Appenzeller cheese (raw) is strongly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Appenzeller is a long-aged hard cheese, and aging means losing water. Protein and phosphorus become concentrated, and the calcium is not enough to offset them, which results in the high value of +20.9. Hard cheese is among the most acid-forming foods of all, ahead even of meat. For two slices on bread, you need plenty of fruit or vegetables on the side, such as a banana and a bell pepper.
In the Cheese category, Appenzeller cheese (raw) ranks #34 of 37, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Gruyere cheese (+20.5), Harz cheese (sour milk cheese) (+20.4), Provolone cheese (+19.4). More acid-forming are Emmental cheese (+21.0), Alpine cheese (Bergkäse) (+22.5), 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 Appenzeller cheese
A slice (30 g) of Appenzeller cheese adds +6.3 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Appenzeller cheese 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: Appenzeller cheese (raw) has a PRAL of +20.9 per 100 g, so it counts as strongly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much avocado offsets a slice (30 g) of Appenzeller cheese?
A slice (30 g) of Appenzeller cheese adds +6.3 to your daily balance. Avocado (ripe) has −9.9 per 100 g, so about 60 g of avocado offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid Appenzeller cheese on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Appenzeller cheese is strongly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Appenzeller Cheese 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.