Is Cheddar Cheese Acidic or Alkaline?
Cheddar cheese (raw) is strongly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Cheddar is an aged hard cheese with little water, so protein and phosphorus stay concentrated: +16.9, more than fried sausage or roast chicken. The calcium in the cheese isn't enough to offset that. A slice on a burger or in a sandwich therefore weighs heavily, and a tomato on the side wins back only a small part of it.
In the Cheese category, Cheddar cheese (raw) ranks #22 of 37, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Monterey Jack cheese (+16.7), Colby cheese (+16.3), Halloumi cheese (+15.4). More acid-forming are Tilsit cheese (+17.3), Cotija cheese (+17.3), Fontina cheese (+17.4).
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 Cheddar cheese
A slice (30 g) of Cheddar cheese adds +5.1 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cheddar 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: Cheddar cheese (raw) has a PRAL of +16.9 per 100 g, so it counts as strongly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much lamb's lettuce offsets a slice (30 g) of Cheddar cheese?
A slice (30 g) of Cheddar cheese adds +5.1 to your daily balance. Lamb's lettuce (fresh) has −8.3 per 100 g, so about 60 g of lamb's lettuce offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid Cheddar cheese on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Cheddar cheese is strongly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Cheddar 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.