Is Black Coffee Acidic or Alkaline?
Coffee, black (brewed) is alkaline: Negative PRAL: alkalizing after digestion. Alkaline, which surprises many people: black coffee is mildly alkaline with a PRAL of −2.3 per 100 ml, and espresso comes in at −1.9. With a lot of milk, as in a cappuccino, coffee becomes neutral.
Classification
At −2.3 per 100 ml, black coffee is alkaline because brewing draws potassium from the grounds into the water, while protein is practically absent. The idea that coffee is acidic applies at most to stomach acid, not to the mineral balance. A 250 ml mug brings about −6, and a splash of milk hardly changes that.
In the Drinks category, black coffee (brewed) ranks #10 of 80, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Orange juice, concentrate (−2.4), Orange juice (−2.4), Pineapple juice (−2.6). More acid-forming are Lemon juice (−2.3), Coffee, with milk (3.5%) (−2.2), Cider (−2.0).
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is black coffee 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: Coffee, black (brewed) has a PRAL of −2.3 per 100 ml, so it counts as alkaline in your daily acid-base balance.
How much black coffee do I need for a noticeable effect?
One cup of black coffee (200 ml) of black coffee adds −4.6 to your daily balance. For comparison: an egg is around +5.4, a slice of cheese around +6. So one serving of black coffee roughly offsets one of them.
Why is black coffee alkaline even though it is not a typical alkaline food?
The PRAL depends on the minerals left over after digestion, not on taste or pH. Coffee, black provides more potassium, magnesium and calcium than phosphorus and protein, so the balance is negative (−2.3).
Coffee, Black 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 Drinks: Drinks 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.