Downsides Of Regular Acidic Coffee
A regular acidic coffee can have unpleasant side effects. A few of the downsides from drinking traditional coffee include:
- Wear and stain on teeth.Acidic coffee can be hard on enamel, creating discoloration and eroding the hard outer layer of the tooth.
- Aggravates IBS symptoms.The acid in coffee can be hard on IBS patients, irritating the intestinal lining. Patients with gastric ulcers may also find regular coffee painful.
- Laxative effect.The acidity in coffee can make some drinkers need to use the restroom more often or more urgently.
Fortunately, low acid coffee can offer several health benefits and far fewer drawbacks.
Best Ways To Make Coffee Less Acidic
Acidic drinks dont sit well with everyone. If you have medical conditions like ulcers, then you may feel like you have to give up your morning beverage.
Some coffee lovers even develop sensitive stomachs out of nowhere, making coffee drinking a thing of the past. You dont need to give up coffee though, in fact, by picking up coffee that is less acidic, you even gain some health benefits.
Below is everything you need to know about coffee acidity and how to get a low acid coffee.
Milder On Your Stomach
No one likes an upset stomach, and less acidic coffee is milder on your stomach and less likely to aggravate an issue like acid reflux. Our stomach contains hydrochloric acid and pepsin for digestive purposes and to kill potentially harmful bacteria.
Some foods can cause the body to create more acid in the stomach, and a surplus of acid can result in acid reflux, a condition where acid rises into the esophagus and throat. For those prone to acid reflux, coffee that is less acidic is a must.
Also Check: How To Make Vanilla Coffee Creamer Without Condensed Milk
How To Pick The Best Low
Coffee is an iconic beverage, and it is also a popular pick-me-up for many people. So, it is logical to find a tasty coffee that will help you wake up in the morning or even stay alert during the day. We all know that caffeine in coffee can be a source of energy, but taste is also a crucial factor when it comes to deciding on a drink.
You have likely heard of the term acidic and have probably tried a couple of different brands. If you have, then you have probably noticed that some k-cups make your beverage taste as if lemon juice has been added. In contrast, the best k-cups offer a deep, full, and smooth flavor.
In order to make k cups, beans are roasted to a medium to dark roast to create a deep flavor. These dark roasted beans contain a lower pH that causes a reaction with the cocoa powder used in the manufacturing process. This reaction causes a reaction that changes the flavor of the coffee.
An acidic brew is best for some, but not all. It can be confusing to determine which type of coffee is best for you since the acidity level of the coffee can vary widely. If you are wondering which type of coffee is best for your body, there is actually some science behind the variety of brews.
Does Starbucks Offer Low Acid Coffee
As of this writing no, Starbucks does not offer low acid coffee. They do offer plenty of dark roasts. One specifically is Sumatra. Sumatra Dark Roast from Starbucks coffee is grown in a lower altitude, which is known to contain lower acidity.
Trader Joes
Trader Joes has a low acid coffee. Although it is difficult to find in grocery stores. You may not find it at your local store either. Trader Joes low acid coffee can be found on Amazon.
Recommended Reading: Folgers 1850 Caffeine Content
The Benefits Of Low Acid Coffee Beans
If you are not one to gravitate toward green tea, then choosing low acid blend coffee is your best option for stomach issues. Given the prevalence of gastrointestinal diseases like GERD, Irritable Bowel Syndrome , and gastric ulcers, it’s crucial to balance the acidity within our bodies. Coffee is a great place to start. I always recommend lower acid coffees to my friends and family, and I’m a cold brew enthusiast, so you know I’m already experiencing those benefits myself. But it doesn’t stop there. Consider making adjustments to your diet and lifestyle. Get a FODMAP device like a Food Marble to gauge how your body reacts to certain foods, and you’ll be well on your way to a better, more alkaline existence.
Lifeboost Low Acid Coffee
LifeBoost is a wellbeing cognizant, naturally cognizant coffee brand that is another up and comer. Amazon views some expertise in ultra-less acid coffee without adding anything to it. The entirety of Lifeboost coffee from the medium dish, to the Lifeboost coffee less acid with a smooth chocolate wealth, a dim caramel sweetness, and a trace of fruity smells .
Lifeboost less acid coffee is viewed as a 4.6 on the pH scale. Lifeboost comes in at a 6.0 which is less acid. . Lifeboost Coffee is Ensured Natural, forte bean, single beginning, medium exchange, shade and rise grown a mile above ocean level.
Pros
- Somewhat costly yet an espresso coffee wouldnt fret paying extra for the rich taste.
You May Like: Is 184 Mg Of Caffeine A Lot
Coffee Acidity And Stomach Acidity
Do low acidity coffees reduce stomach acidity? A somewhat smoky debate in which the double meaning of the word “acidity” increases confusion. The acidity of coffee has nothing to do with the acidity of the stomach.
A choice more dictated by taste, in short, and by the moment. If there are lively moments or in which taste can help our senses to awaken, there are other situations in which a more delicate and less “sparkling” cup seems to be more suitable, as in moments of relaxation and tranquility. As for the acidity of coffee, here we are talking about taste. The well-balanced acidity releases a bouquet of very varied flavours, but there are those who also look for a drink with a more delicate and less aromatic taste. A bit like comparing a sugary drink to a glass of water and mint.
That is why we decided to open a new category with our best low acid coffee brands. One of our least acidic coffee is the: Lollo Caffe Gran Bar Cuvee
How Low Is The Acid In Coffee
We’ll when comparing acidity with battery acid rated as a 1 and water as a 7, acid in coffee comes in at a 6 rating just below water. The lower the number the higher the acid level.
Anyone that has ever spilled cola on the paint of their car knows that it will mar the paint finish. That is a pretty good indicator of the acid content lurking inside of colas. If you are drinking colas you have bigger problems than trying to find low acid coffee.
Back to the acid level scale we find that rated a number 2 next to battery acid is Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper and Squirt. All very high on the acid level and opposite of coffee and water. Rated at a 3 we find lemon Nestea, Diet Pepsi, Diet Coke, Sprite, Orange juice and Lemonade.
For this reason dentists form many years have been trying to keep everyone away from Coke and other sugar water soda drinks. Coming from General Dentistry, long-term soda drinking erodes tooth enamel due to the high pH levels in many soft drinks that make them nearly as corrosive as battery acid.
Recommended Reading: Caffeine In Folgers
Low Acid Coffee Benefits
So, why all this focus on the acidity of coffee? If youre reading this, you probably already know.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a severe form of acid reflux. GERD is practically an epidemic in America. Stress and bad diets contribute to acid reflux. But even healthy foods can be acidic. Foods like citrus fruit, tomatoes, and coffee contribute to acid reflux.
We drink so much coffee, that this is an easy place to reduces your overall intake of acidic food and drink. Downing lower acid coffee can also help with issues like gastric ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome.
Lower Acidity In Your Coffee
Coffee is one of the most complex beverages on the planet from a chemical standpoint. Theres not one specific acid thats most present in every bean. Instead, its the balance between acids that leads to the different flavor notes youll taste in your cupand the pH level of the brew that could upset your stomach.
The organic acids in coffee include acetic acid , citric acid , malic acid , and tartaric acid .
Coffee beans also contain chlorogenic acids, but these are broken down during the roasting process into quinic and caffeic acids, which are responsible for much of the bitterness in dark-roasted coffee.
Why does this matter? Because different processes to lower the acid of coffee target different compounds. The concentration of organic acids decreases during the roasting process. This is why a dark-roasted bean will have fewer fruity notes than a lighter-roasted version. From this standpoint, the bean becomes less acidic the more its roasted.
Remember those quinic and caffeic acids, though. Their presence in the bean actually increases with more roasting. Some coffees that are marketed as low-acid are simply roasted darker, but while they may taste less acidic they dont necessarily have a lower pH content once theyre brewed.
Read Also: How Much Caffeine In Sambazon Energy Drink
Coffee Bean Processing Methods
A coffee bean is actually a seed that resembles a bean. It comes from the red or purple fruit of a coffee plant. There are three methods for processing harvested coffee beans: wet, dry, and semi-dry process methods. Two of these coffee processing methods reduce acid levels in the coffee bean.
Dry Processing Method
The dry process, also known as the natural process or dry natural, is the oldest method of coffee processing where the newly picked fruit from a coffee plant is sorted and dried in the sun over a period of days. The dried fruit is then stored until the outer layers are removed from the coffee bean by a hulling machine.
The dry process produces coffee beans with lower acid levels and sweet, earthy flavors. The dry process, however, does not produce consistent outcomes due to weather conditions and human factors during the drying process.
The dry process is predominantly used in dryer regions due to the lack of water needed for the wet process and semi-dry process.
Wet Processing Method
In the wet process, also known as washed coffee, the coffee fruit is separated from the bean in a washing process before the beans are dried. Coffee beans produced through the wet process have higher acid levels and fruity flavors.
Semi-Dry Processing Method
Arabica Coffee Vs Robusta Coffee
The variety of coffee bean is important when choosing a low acid coffee. Two main varieties of coffee bean are widely used in making coffees, Arabica and Robusta. Robusta coffee beans contain a significantly higher level of caffeine than Arabica coffee beans. For heartburn sufferers, the hyper-caffeinated Robusta coffee beans are undesirable.
Recommended Reading: What Coffee Does Mcdonald’s Serve
Here Are The Best Low Acid Coffee Brands
The acids in coffee are what give it the bright, tart flavors that many find appealing. But not all coffee drinkers were created equal and for those with sensitivities, they can also lead to heartburn, acid reflux or tooth decay.
Sensitive stomach? Rather than switching your morning cup to decaf you can try beans engineered for low levels of acidity, that still taste great. In this guide we show you how to choose the best low acid beans, and give you a range of options.
Here are the best low acid coffee brands:
How Do You Find Low Acid Coffee
One of the challenges with finding coffee with less acid is that its not always easy to understand the labels. When you buy a can or bag of ground coffee or whole beans, most dont give you all that much information about where the beans come from.
The first step is to choose coffee that is from a single origin. You need to know where the coffee beans came from before you can figure out the acid level.
Since low acid coffee has a lot to do with where its grown, a roaster should be able to trace it to an exact plot of land. And, thats only possible with single-origin coffee.
Don’t Miss: Keto Cold Brew Coffee
Low Acid Coffee K Cups
If you love great coffee and convenience but have a sensitive stomach, low acid K cups or coffee pods are fantastic alternatives that you can enjoy. The most popular K cup manufacturers Keurig and Nespresso, offer many low acid coffee pods that you can enjoy.
Besides providing convenient coffee-making, here are the different benefits that low acid coffee pods provide:
Lucy Jos Coffee Organic Sumatra Low Acid Whole Bean
Im not throwing in my favorite yet by putting these two Lucy Jos one right after the other they just cost the same.
In comparison, this batch is harvested from Sumatra, which is on our green-light-go list, and its a Certified Organic low acid coffee. This ones a dark roast, so if youre craving a cup of the black stuff, this could be your new best friend.
Read Also: Starbucks Cold Brew Concentrate Pods Caffeine Content
Is Decaf Coffee Acidic
Decaf coffee is acidic, but studies have found that it is less acidic than caffeinated coffee. Specifically, it was found that when caffeine was extracted, phenolic acid levels were reduced. In general, decaf coffee tends is less likely to cause heartburn and create acid issues than caffeinated coffee because caffeine causes your stomach to produce more acid.
The bottom line is that caffeine is a potential trigger for heartburn and Gastroesophageal reflux disease . Regular coffee is a significant source of caffeine, containing more caffeine than tea or even soda. Therefore, decaf can be an option for those looking to limit heartburn caused by coffee.
Folgers Simply Smooth Ground Coffee Medium Roast
If you want as many ground up beans as possible per dollar, you probably wont get much better value than the Simple Smooth line of coffees from Folgers. Theyre specifically designed to be easy on your tummy so that the best part of wakin up can be Folgers in your cup without getting burned later. Literally.
Highly rated and available in a number of forms, including in K-cups, Simply Smooth can help you cut your system some slack.
Though you do have to deal with your brain automatically singing the ‘Best Part of Waking Up‘ jingle every morning. Thats your call, my friend.
Read Also: Diet Snapple Caffeine Content
Roast Type Influence On Acidity Of Coffee
In addition to bean type, another main factor to enjoy low acidic coffee is the roast type. The difference between light, medium, and dark roast coffee is just a matter of how much time the beans are in the roaster. The actual coffee acid content and pH level will be very similar regardless .
However, industry research indicates that there is a chemical called N-methylpyridium which develops during roasting and mitigates the ability of cells in the stomach to release hydrochloric acid. Therefore, opting for a dark roast coffee, combined with selecting a lower acidic bean type is a good option for being able to enjoy coffee and mitigate aggravating an acid sensitivity.
Bottled Water Can Be Acidic
If you use bottled water in your Keurig or pour-over, you might be adding to the problem. Many bottled water sources are actually very acidic when compared to your body’s natural 7 pH. If you start with an alkaline source, chances are you’ll end up with a less acidic cup than if you start with an acidic water source.
For more details, consider how we measure alkalinity in the potential of hydrogen from 0 to 14. Ideally, you’d work with a neutral pH water source, or something close to 7 pH. Deviations in pH affect flavor profiles, but more important than the flavor is your stomach lining. If the coffee you normally drink gives you nausea, consider adjusting the pH of the water you use and you may find that you are more tolerant.
Recommended Reading: What Is Standard Coffee Table Height
Coffee With A Caffeine Kick
For those who need more of a jolt than a pick-me-up, black coffee is the way to go. While adding milk or cream will reduce the caffeine content, it does so by absorbing some of the stimulant into its fatty acids. If you are especially sensitive to caffeine or want a bigger jolt, your best bet is sticking with black coffee and adding only the sugar and milk that your body requires.
Best Ways To Make Your Coffee Less Acidic
There are a variety of ways to reduce the amount of acid found in coffee:
Don’t Miss: How Much Caffeine Does Iced Coffee Have