Is Buttermilk Acidic or Alkaline?
Buttermilk (raw) is neutral: PRAL close to zero: hardly shifts your acid-base balance.
Classification
Buttermilk contains milk protein and phosphorus, but also calcium and potassium in similar amounts, so both sides cancel out almost exactly: −0.1 per 100 ml. That makes it neutral, unlike cheese, where the protein gets concentrated and the calcium can't keep up. At 39 kcal per 100 ml, it's also a light thirst quencher, on its own or blended with berries.
In the Dairy category, buttermilk (raw) ranks #5 of 25, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Whipping cream (−0.2), Skimmed milk powder (−0.9), Whey (liquid) (−1.9). More acid-forming are Crème fraîche (0.0), Schmand (sour cream, 20% fat) (0.0), Goat milk (+0.1).
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.
Goes well with
Frequently Asked Questions
Is buttermilk 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: Buttermilk (raw) has a PRAL of −0.1 per 100 ml, so it counts as neutral in your daily acid-base balance.
Does buttermilk count in the acid-base balance at all?
Hardly. At −0.1 per 100 ml, buttermilk is in the neutral range between −0.5 and +0.5. You can eat it without shifting your balance.
Buttermilk logged, balance checked.
Basentracker adds up every meal automatically and shows whether your day is in the alkaline range. The same values as on this page, all 977 foods, photo scan, recipes.
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Compare all Dairy: Dairy 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.