Is Colby Cheese Acidic or Alkaline?
Colby cheese (raw) is strongly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Colby is an American semi-hard cheese, similar to cheddar but moister, so at +16.3 it comes in just below it. The more water a cheese holds, the less protein and phosphorus there is in 100 g. It's still clearly acid-forming. In a sandwich or on a burger, vegetables are worth adding as a counterweight, since tomato, cucumber and lettuce win back part of it.
In the Cheese category, Colby cheese (raw) ranks #20 of 37, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Halloumi cheese (+15.4), Camembert cheese (+15.2), Roquefort cheese (+13.7). More acid-forming are Monterey Jack cheese (+16.7), Cheddar cheese (+16.9), Tilsit cheese (+17.3).
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 Colby cheese
A slice (30 g) of Colby cheese adds +4.9 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Colby 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: Colby cheese (raw) has a PRAL of +16.3 per 100 g, so it counts as strongly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much kale offsets a slice (30 g) of Colby cheese?
A slice (30 g) of Colby cheese adds +4.9 to your daily balance. Kale (fresh) has −11.7 per 100 g, so about 40 g of kale offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid Colby cheese on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Colby cheese is strongly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Colby 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.