Is Skyr Acidic or Alkaline?
Skyr (raw) is acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Icelandic skyr comes in at +5.8. This fresh cheese made from skim milk is almost fat-free, so it packs a lot of milk protein and phosphorus into every 100 g. That puts it below low-fat curd cheese (quark) at +9.4, but clearly in acid-forming territory. Mix it with berries and a grated pear, and the cup becomes a bowl that sits much closer to zero.
In the Dairy category, skyr (raw) ranks #22 of 25, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Sheep milk (+1.1), Condensed milk, sweetened (+0.9), Yogurt, low-fat (1.5%) (+0.8). More acid-forming are Curd cheese (+6.4), Curd cheese, semi-fat (+8.9), Curd cheese, low-fat (+9.4).
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 skyr
A cup (150 g) of skyr adds +8.7 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is skyr 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: Skyr (raw) has a PRAL of +5.8 per 100 g, so it counts as acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much kale offsets a cup (150 g) of skyr?
A cup (150 g) of skyr adds +8.7 to your daily balance. Kale (fresh) has −11.7 per 100 g, so about 70 g of kale offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid skyr on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Skyr is acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Skyr 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.