Is Feta Cheese Acidic or Alkaline?
Feta cheese (raw) is acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Like almost every cheese, feta sits firmly in the acid-forming range at +11.1. Cheesemaking concentrates milk protein and phosphorus, while potassium is largely lost with the whey. Compared with hard cheese, its value is moderate thanks to its higher water content. In a Greek-style salad with cucumber, tomato and bell pepper, part of it is offset, but not all.
In the Cheese category, feta cheese (raw) ranks #10 of 37, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Goat cheese (+9.9), Brie cheese (+9.0), Cottage cheese, regular (4% fat) (+8.8). More acid-forming are Goat cheese (+11.6), Queso fresco (+12.5), Gorgonzola cheese (+12.6).
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 feta cheese
A slice (30 g) of feta cheese adds +3.3 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is feta 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: Feta cheese (raw) has a PRAL of +11.1 per 100 g, so it counts as acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much spinach offsets a slice (30 g) of feta cheese?
A slice (30 g) of feta cheese adds +3.3 to your daily balance. Spinach (fresh) has −12.2 per 100 g, so about 30 g of spinach offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid feta cheese on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Feta cheese is acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Feta 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.