Is Gouda (Young) Acidic or Alkaline?
Gouda (young) (raw) is strongly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion. Yes, acid-forming. Cheese is the most acid-forming everyday food, with Gouda at +17.5, Emmental at +21.0 and Parmesan at +29.6 per 100 g; only cream cheese (+3.0) is mild.
Classification
Young Gouda reaches +17.5 because pressing and aging remove water, leaving more protein and phosphorus per 100 g. Its plentiful calcium does little for the balance. Two slices on bread bring more acid than the bread itself. Adding cucumber, tomato or radishes offsets part of it.
In the Cheese category, Gouda (young) (raw) ranks #27 of 37, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Raclette cheese (+17.4), Fontina cheese (+17.4), Cotija cheese (+17.3). More acid-forming are Paneer cheese (+17.9), Edam cheese (+18.7), Butter cheese (+19.1).
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 Gouda (young)
One slice of cheese (30 g) of Gouda (young) adds +5.3 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gouda (young) 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: Gouda (young) (raw) has a PRAL of +17.5 per 100 g, so it counts as strongly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much kale offsets one slice of cheese (30 g) of Gouda (young)?
One slice of cheese (30 g) of Gouda (young) adds +5.3 to your daily balance. Kale (fresh) has −11.7 per 100 g, so about 50 g of kale offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid Gouda (young) on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Gouda (young) is strongly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Gouda (Young) 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.