Is Sugar-free Coke Acidic or Alkaline?
Coke, sugar-free (prepared) is slightly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Reduced-sugar cola comes in at +0.6 per 100 ml, practically the same as the classic version. The phosphoric acid is still there, and sugar or sweetener adds nothing to the mineral balance. The difference is in energy: 0 kcal per 100 ml here. So the swap helps with sugar, but not with PRAL.
In the Drinks category, sugar-free coke (prepared) ranks #80 of 80, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Coke, without coffein (+0.5), Coke (+0.5), Eggnog (+0.3).
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 sugar-free coke
A glass (200 ml) of sugar-free coke adds +1.2 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is sugar-free coke 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: Coke, sugar-free (prepared) has a PRAL of +0.6 per 100 ml, so it counts as slightly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much avocado offsets a glass (200 ml) of sugar-free coke?
A glass (200 ml) of sugar-free coke adds +1.2 to your daily balance. Avocado (ripe) has −9.9 per 100 g, so about 10 g of avocado offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid sugar-free coke on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Coke, sugar-free is slightly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Coke, Sugar-free 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.