Is Lactose-free Milk Acidic or Alkaline?
Lactose-free milk (raw) is neutral: PRAL close to zero: hardly shifts your acid-base balance.
Classification
At +0.1 per 100 ml, lactose-free milk is in the neutral range. Breaking down the milk sugar doesn't change the protein, phosphorus, calcium and potassium, which nearly balance each other out in milk. So it behaves like regular whole milk. Only when milk becomes cheese does the balance tip clearly toward acid-forming, because the potassium drains off with the whey.
In the Dairy category, lactose-free milk (raw) ranks #12 of 25, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Milk, low-fat (+0.1), Cream (35% fat) (+0.1), Goat milk (+0.1). More acid-forming are Skim milk (+0.1), Greek yogurt (+0.2), Sour cream (+0.2).
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.
Goes well with
Frequently Asked Questions
Is lactose-free milk 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: Lactose-free milk (raw) has a PRAL of +0.1 per 100 ml, so it counts as neutral in your daily acid-base balance.
Does lactose-free milk count in the acid-base balance at all?
Hardly. At +0.1 per 100 ml, lactose-free milk is in the neutral range between −0.5 and +0.5. You can eat it without shifting your balance.
Lactose-free Milk 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.
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Compare all Dairy: Dairy 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.