Are Cooked Tomatoes Less Acidic? Surprising Facts! Best Guide 2022

Tomatoes can be found in almost all kitchens and nearly all cuisines. You can add them to your cooking using tomato sauce or ketchup. People are now talking about acidity. Over 60 million Americans have acid reflux, heartburn, and GERD. High acid foods are the reason. So, are tomatoes acidic, simple, or neutral?

Tomatoes can be acidic with a pH range of 4.3 to 4.9, depending on several factors. Tomatoes are not recommended for people with stomach acidity issues due to their acidity.

You will read here the answer of a common question ‘are cooked tomatoes less acidic’.

Let’s start our discussion.

Are Cooked Tomatoes Less Acidic?

Yes, tomatoes cooked are acidic. When cooked, they have a pH of 4.1-4.5. The more tomatoes are cooked, the more acidic they become. This is because the tomatoes lose more water and fiber if boiled longer.

In the same way as reducing the cooking time can lower the acid content, avoiding cooking tomatoes will also reduce their acidity. Raw tomatoes are much less acidic than cooked ones. You can make the tomato dish less acidic by including them raw.

What is the pH level for tomatoes?

The most commonly used scientific method to rank acidity is pH. It ranges from 0-to 14. Low numbers are the most acidic, while high numbers are the least acidic. The pH range for tomato juice is 4.1-4.6

How to Reduce Acid in Cooked Tomatoes?

Tomatoes are a great way to add flavor and nutrition to your favorite recipes. Tomatoes can be very acidic and cause severe problems for people with ulcers or other acid-related digestive issues. Following are some ways to reduce the acidity of tomatoes.

#1. Baking soda

Baking soda can reduce acidity in tomatoes after they are cooked. You can also remove the seeds and reduce the cooking time of tomatoes or add them to a recipe.

1. Slice the tomatoes into small pieces. You may not need to cook the tomatoes for as long if you add them to another dish. You may need to cook the tomatoes in larger chunks.
2. Take care not to let the tomatoes burn.
3. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda. This recipe will make six medium-sized tomatoes. You can adjust the baking soda to suit your needs. Mix the baking soda until all pieces of tomato are coated with it.
4. As the tomato acid reacts, the baking soda will foam up.
5. Continue to cook the dish. Baking soda reduces the dish’s acidity but does not alter the flavor.

#2. Dehydrating and Shortening Cook Times

1. Take out the tomato seeds. Cut the tomato in half along the equator line. Make sure one half of the tomato has the stem and the other half has its bottom. Use a 1/4 teaspoon or another small spoon to scoop the seeds and dispose of them. Do not scrape too deep into the tomato flesh.
2. Removing the seeds from the tomato plants is essential as they carry a lot of the acidity of the tomatoes.
3. You can enhance some dishes by cooking the seeds with tomato flesh.
4. Reduce the time it takes to cook tomatoes. Acidic tomatoes become more acidic when they are cooked for extended periods. Therefore, it is essential to reduce the time that you cook tomatoes. This can be difficult for sauces or other dishes that require long simmering. However, it is recommended to cook tomatoes no longer than 1 1/2 hours.
5. It may take some getting used to tomatoes that are not as cooked. However, if you have problems with acidic foods, it might be worth the effort.
6. Add tomatoes to your dish after all other ingredients have been cooked for the majority. This is another way to reduce the cooking time and cook them quickly.
7. When a recipe calls for simmering the ingredients for at least one hour, add the tomatoes for the final 10 minutes. The tomatoes will have the chance to warm up and absorb some of the liquid, but they won’t become too acidic.
8. Raw tomatoes can be used in this dish. The acidity can be reduced by reducing the cooking time. However, it is possible to avoid cooking tomatoes entirely. Raw tomatoes are much less acidic than cooked ones. You can make the tomato dish less acidic if you include them raw.
9. The tomatoes will heat up if you put them on a hot plate.

How to Choose Tomatoes to Reduce the Acidity?

1. The ripest tomatoes are the best. As tomatoes ripen, some of their acidity is lost. Avoid tomatoes that are less than fully ripe. You can check the ripeness by feeling the tomato’s weight and gently pressing the tomato. It would help if you chose heavier tomatoes than softer ones.
2. More juice means riper. Soft tomatoes are riper than hard tomatoes.
3. It is also possible to smell a ripe tomato, not an unripe one.
4. Use fresh tomatoes when cooking. Canning tomatoes can increase acidity. You can reduce acidity by using fresh tomatoes in your recipes. Fresh tomatoes will last less than canned tomatoes, so you’ll need to purchase them more often.
5. Non-red tomatoes are better. There are wide varieties of tomatoes, including red, green, yellow, and orange. In most cases, non-red tomatoes have lower acidity. Try non-red tomatoes next time you prepare your favorite tomato dish.
6. This isn’t a strict rule, as there are non-red varieties with high acidity and red varieties with low acid.
7. It would help if you were looking for Yellow pear, a tomato that looks similar to cherry varieties; Georgia Streak, a yellow heirloom variety; and Big Rainbow, a golden-red tomato.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cooked Tomatoes and Gut Health