Is Gruyere Cheese Acidic or Alkaline?
Gruyere cheese (raw) is strongly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Gruyere is a long-aged hard cheese with little water left and reaches +20.5. Protein and phosphorus are highly concentrated per 100 g, and there's hardly any potassium. All its calcium changes little. In fondue or a gratin, an acid load builds up quickly that only a large side of vegetables or boiled potatoes in their skins can noticeably cushion.
In the Cheese category, Gruyere cheese (raw) ranks #33 of 37, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Harz cheese (sour milk cheese) (+20.4), Provolone cheese (+19.4), Butter cheese (+19.1). More acid-forming are Appenzeller cheese (+20.9), Emmental cheese (+21.0), Alpine cheese (Bergkäse) (+22.5).
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 Gruyere cheese
A slice (30 g) of Gruyere cheese adds +6.2 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gruyere 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: Gruyere cheese (raw) has a PRAL of +20.5 per 100 g, so it counts as strongly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much lamb's lettuce offsets a slice (30 g) of Gruyere cheese?
A slice (30 g) of Gruyere cheese adds +6.2 to your daily balance. Lamb's lettuce (fresh) has −8.3 per 100 g, so about 70 g of lamb's lettuce offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid Gruyere cheese on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Gruyere cheese is strongly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Gruyere 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.