How to Balance Tomato Acid in Food

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Never add milk to a tomato-based dish because acid is a natural coagulant and causes curdling.

Tomatoes contain a host of acids -- citric, oxalic and malic, to name a few -- that can disrupt the flavor of foods as well as their digestion. Although the acidic taste in tomato-based dishes is largely dependent on perception -- high-acid, high-sugar tomatoes taste less acidic than low-acid, low-sugar tomatoes -- you can balance their acidity without adding sugar through buffering. Baking soda, a natural buffering agent, balances the acidity in tomatoes by increasing their pH to around 8.1. The modest amount of baking soda needed to balance acidity doesn't alter the taste of the dish or its nutritional value.

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1

Cut out the cores and slice a 1/2-inch "X" through the skin at the basal end of each tomato before you start the dish. Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the tomatoes for 2 minutes.

2

Transfer the tomatoes to a large container of ice water using a slotted spoon and let them sit until cool enough to handle. Peel the skin from each tomato using your fingers.

3

Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise and scoop out the seeds and gelatinous pulp. Both the seeds and pulp contribute to the acid content. Cut the tomatoes to the desired size and place them in a nonreactive mixing bowl.

4

Sprinkle a pinch of baking soda, or about 1/4 teaspoon, over the tomatoes and gently stir to incorporate. Add the tomatoes to the dish. Use buffered tomatoes as you would regular tomatoes.