Is yogurt acidic or alkaline? I’m asking specifically because I’m trying to understand how yogurt affects my body’s pH levels. I know the pH scale ranges from 0 (highly acidic) to 14 (highly alkaline), with 7 being neutral. I’ve heard some foods are acidic before digestion but become alkaline after, and vice versa. I’m interested in knowing not only where yogurt sits on the pH scale before it’s consumed, but also whether its impact on the body is ultimately acidic or alkaline-forming, considering the digestive process and its effect on my body’s overall acid-base balance. Could you provide information regarding yogurt’s pH level both before consumption and its potential impact on the body’s acid-alkaline balance after digestion? I would also appreciate it if you could specify whether the type of yogurt (e.g., Greek, plain, sweetened) might influence the answer.

Answer

Yogurt is acidic.

Yogurt’s acidity stems from the production of lactic acid during fermentation. Bacteria, typically Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus, consume lactose (milk sugar) and convert it into lactic acid. This lactic acid lowers the pH of the milk, causing it to coagulate and develop the characteristic tangy flavor and texture of yogurt.

The pH of yogurt generally ranges from 4.0 to 5.0. A pH of 7 is neutral, values below 7 are acidic, and values above 7 are alkaline (or basic). Therefore, a pH between 4.0 and 5.0 definitively places yogurt in the acidic category.

Different types of yogurt and fermentation processes can result in slight variations in pH. For example, Greek yogurt, which is strained to remove whey, may have a slightly lower pH (more acidic) than unstrained yogurt. Similarly, yogurt made with different bacterial cultures or fermented for longer periods could also exhibit slightly different pH values. However, regardless of these variations, yogurt consistently remains acidic.