Is Monterey Jack Cheese Acidic or Alkaline?
Monterey Jack cheese (raw) is strongly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Monterey Jack comes in at +16.7, well into the acid-forming range: in cheesemaking, protein and phosphorus concentrate in the curd, while potassium is lost with the whey. At 392 kcal per 100 g, it's energy-dense, but fat doesn't count. A 30 g slice on a burger or in a quesadilla adds about +5.
In the Cheese category, Monterey Jack cheese (raw) ranks #21 of 37, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Colby cheese (+16.3), Halloumi cheese (+15.4), Camembert cheese (+15.2). More acid-forming are Cheddar cheese (+16.9), Tilsit cheese (+17.3), Cotija cheese (+17.3).
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 Monterey Jack cheese
A slice (30 g) of Monterey Jack cheese adds +5.0 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Monterey Jack 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: Monterey Jack cheese (raw) has a PRAL of +16.7 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 Monterey Jack cheese?
A slice (30 g) of Monterey Jack cheese adds +5.0 to your daily balance. Kale (fresh) has −11.7 per 100 g, so about 40 g of kale offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid Monterey Jack cheese on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Monterey Jack cheese is strongly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Monterey Jack 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.