Is Limburger Cheese Acidic or Alkaline?
Limburger cheese (raw) is strongly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
At +13.0, Limburger cheese is clearly in the acid-forming range. In cheesemaking, the protein and phosphorus stay in the curd while the potassium drains off with the whey. The strong smell says nothing about the acid load, and mild cheeses are similar. A 30 g slice on dark rye bread comes to about +4, and onion rings on top change little.
In the Cheese category, Limburger cheese (raw) ranks #16 of 37, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Mozzarella (+12.7), Blue cheese (general) (+12.7), Gorgonzola cheese (+12.6). More acid-forming are Roquefort cheese (+13.7), Camembert cheese (+15.2), Halloumi cheese (+15.4).
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 Limburger cheese
A slice (30 g) of Limburger cheese adds +3.9 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Limburger 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: Limburger cheese (raw) has a PRAL of +13.0 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 Limburger cheese?
A slice (30 g) of Limburger cheese adds +3.9 to your daily balance. Kale (fresh) has −11.7 per 100 g, so about 30 g of kale offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid Limburger cheese on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Limburger cheese is strongly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Limburger 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.