Is Tiramisu Acidic or Alkaline?
Tiramisu (chilled) is slightly acid-forming: Positive PRAL: acid-forming after digestion.
Classification
Chilled tiramisu sits at +2.4 and is only slightly acid-forming, even though mascarpone, eggs and ladyfingers bring protein and phosphorus. The high fat and sugar content dilutes these minerals per 100 g. Freshly made, it has the same value. The PRAL says nothing about the 313 kcal per 100 g, and a serving easily weighs 150 g.
In the Sweets & Snacks category, tiramisu (chilled) ranks #57 of 91, sorted from alkaline to acid-forming. More alkaline options include Fruit gummies (+2.3), Tortilla chips (+2.2), Bee sting cake (+2.1). More acid-forming are Apple cake (+2.5), Jelly doughnut (+2.7), Breadsticks (grissini) (+2.8).
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.
Tiramisu: chilled, prepared
Same food, different state. All values per 100 g.
| State | PRAL |
|---|---|
| chilled | +2.4 |
| prepared | +2.4 |
What balances tiramisu
A small serving (40 g) of tiramisu adds +1.0 to your daily balance. These three bring it back; the grams shown offset exactly this serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is tiramisu 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: Tiramisu (chilled) has a PRAL of +2.4 per 100 g, so it counts as slightly acid-forming in your daily acid-base balance.
How much spinach offsets a small serving (40 g) of tiramisu?
A small serving (40 g) of tiramisu adds +1.0 to your daily balance. Spinach (fresh) has −12.2 per 100 g, so about 10 g of spinach offset this serving.
Do I have to avoid tiramisu on an alkaline diet?
No. What counts is the balance of the whole day, not a single food. Tiramisu is slightly acid-forming; with enough vegetables, potatoes and fruit on the same plate, the meal stays balanced.
Tiramisu, chilled or prepared: which is more alkaline?
Tiramisu (chilled) is at +2.4, Tiramisu (prepared) at +2.4. Both are on a par. Differences come from water content, cooking water or concentration during drying.
Tiramisu 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 Sweets & Snacks: Sweets & Snacks 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.