Is Coke Acidic or Alkaline?
Coke (prepared) is slightly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion. Acid-forming, but only barely: at +0.5 per 100 ml, Coke sits right on the line to mildly acid-forming. The real downside of Coke is the sugar, and sugar doesn't show up in the PRAL.
Classification
Cola contains phosphoric acid, and phosphorus counts as acid-forming in the PRAL. Since there's little else besides water and sugar, it stays at +0.5 per 100 ml, just on the acid-forming side. Its reputation as an acid bomb comes mainly from the low pH in the glass, not from its metabolic balance. What makes cola a problem is the sugar, reflected in 41 kcal per 100 ml.
In the Drinks category, coke (prepared) ranks #78 of 80, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Eggnog (+0.3), Vodka (+0.2), Tequila (+0.1). More acid-forming are Coke, sugar-free (+0.6).
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 coke
One can of Coke (330 ml) of coke adds +1.7 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 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 (prepared) has a PRAL of +0.5 per 100 ml, so it counts as slightly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much kale offsets one can of Coke (330 ml) of coke?
One can of Coke (330 ml) of coke adds +1.7 to your daily balance. Kale (fresh) has −11.7 per 100 g, so about 10 g of kale offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid coke on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Coke is slightly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Coke 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.
Free for Android · iPhone coming soon
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.