Is Cheesecake Acidic or Alkaline?
Cheesecake (baked) is acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Quark (a fresh dairy product similar to strained yogurt), eggs and shortcrust bring together three protein sources, with hardly any potassium against them. That is why cheesecake is acid-forming at +6.2. Sugar plays no role in the calculation. A 120 g slice brings about +7.5, a bit less with mandarins or cherries in the filling.
In the Sweets & Snacks category, cheesecake (baked) ranks #81 of 91, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Chocolate cake (+6.2), Spekulatius cookies (+5.9), Butter biscuits (+5.8). More acid-forming are Rusk / Twice-baked bread (+6.3), Cream puff (+6.6), Marble cake (+7.4).
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 cheesecake
A small serving (40 g) of cheesecake adds +2.5 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is cheesecake 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: Cheesecake (baked) has a PRAL of +6.2 per 100 g, so it counts as acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much lamb's lettuce offsets a small serving (40 g) of cheesecake?
A small serving (40 g) of cheesecake adds +2.5 to your daily balance. Lamb's lettuce (fresh) has −8.3 per 100 g, so about 30 g of lamb's lettuce offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid cheesecake on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Cheesecake is acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Cheesecake 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 Sweets & Snacks: Sweets & Snacks 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.