Is Tilsit Cheese Acidic or Alkaline?
Tilsit cheese (raw) is strongly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
At +17.3, Tilsit cheese is almost level with raclette cheese (+17.4): cheesemaking concentrates protein and phosphorus, while some of the minerals drain off with the whey. A 30 g slice adds about +5. With radishes, cucumber and tomato on your bread, you offset a good part of that.
In the Cheese category, Tilsit cheese (raw) ranks #23 of 37, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Cheddar cheese (+16.9), Monterey Jack cheese (+16.7), Colby cheese (+16.3). More acid-forming are Cotija cheese (+17.3), Fontina cheese (+17.4), Raclette cheese (+17.4).
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 Tilsit cheese
A slice (30 g) of Tilsit cheese adds +5.2 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tilsit 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: Tilsit cheese (raw) has a PRAL of +17.3 per 100 g, so it counts as strongly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much spinach offsets a slice (30 g) of Tilsit cheese?
A slice (30 g) of Tilsit cheese adds +5.2 to your daily balance. Spinach (fresh) has −12.2 per 100 g, so about 40 g of spinach offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid Tilsit cheese on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Tilsit cheese is strongly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Tilsit 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.