In short, yes. Coffee is acidic. But it's not acidic in the way you might think it is. Coffee, like most things we like to drink, is naturally acidic. Acids yield flavor, literally by donating protons to receptors on the tongue. That's why other common drinks such as beer, soda, fruit juice and wine are naturally acidic (and are all more acidic than coffee, in fact). Read on to understand the pH of coffee.
Defining the Acidity of Coffee
When people talk about the acidity of coffee, they’re not talking about a lower pH (in chemistry, a measure of the actual level of acidity). They’re talking about specific flavor compounds. For example, the presence of citric, malic, or tartaric acids in the bean is associated with flavors like citrus, apple, and wine. These flavors more commonly stand out in single-origin, light-roast coffees, and help make drinking coffee such a pleasant experience. Because light roast coffee has more acidity of flavor, the coffee may taste sharper (or "brighter") and be perceived as being harder on the stomach—but that's not the case.
Why Coffee Makes You Feel Sick
Stomach pain, nausea and diarrhea have little to do with the acid levels in coffee. So if you believe it’s the acid in coffee that makes you feel sick, here’s the test: unless you’re equally upset by juice, beer, wine, or soda, acidity isn't the problem. Instead, the likely culprits include:
Bean Remnants
This is the level of particulate matter (leftover bean solids) in your coffee. To minimize this:
- Use a filtered brew method with a paper filter (far better than wire mesh filters).
- Avoid using a French press, since there's no filter used and you're more likely to swallow grounds.
- You can avoid dark roasts, as darkroast coffee beans have been roasted longer and as such, are more fragile and easier to break up when being ground. However, there isn't much of a difference in the pH between dark and light roast coffees.
Caffeine
Per above, the more bean material in the brew, the more caffeine will continue to be extracted in the stomach. Caffeine generally prompts the body to produce more gastric juice. Again, brew method can make a big difference: Americanos and espressos carry less caffeine than drip.
Milk
Adding milk and its proteins to coffee will absolutely soothe the overall coffee drinking experience, but only for the palate. In the stomach, dairy proteins stimulate the production of gastric juices. In the presence of other acids, this can, for many people, be a recipe for discomfort.
Low Acidity Coffees
If you want low acidity coffee, seek out coffees from Brazil, El Salvador, Indonesia, Hawaii and the Caribbean. Cold brew is also known to be slightly less acidic.
And when it comes to preventing stomach problems, focus instead on how you’re brewing, as coffee is, relative to most other drinks, a pretty safe vice.
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FAQs
Here are the nine major acids in coffee, listed from highest concentration to lowest: chlorogenic, quinic, citric, acetic, lactic, malic, phosphoric, linoleic, and palmitic ( 3 ). The brewing process releases acids from coffee beans, giving this beverage a pH of 4.85 to 5.10, which is considered acidic.
What brand of coffee is the least acidic? ›
8 Best Brands of Low Acid Coffee
- Lifeboost Coffee. Pros: This certified organic coffee is optimized and tested to ensure a low acid content. ...
- Volcanica Coffee. ...
- Lucy Jo's Coffee Roastery. ...
- Tieman's Fusion Coffee. ...
- Puroast Low Acid. ...
- Java Planet.
Low-acid coffee options
- Dark roasts. Dark roast coffees tend to be less acidic because they contain fewer compounds that cause stomach cells to produce acid.
- Espresso beans. ...
- Cold brew. ...
- Low-acid coffee brands. ...
- Mushroom or chicory coffee blends.
Light roast, medium roast, and dark roast coffee beans will have varying levels of acidity, dark roast having the lowest acid coffee, and light roast the highest acid level. In addition, it will also change the entire flavor profile of the coffee beans and your cup of coffee.
Which coffee bean is the most acidic? ›
For example, Arabica beans are generally considered to be more acidic than Robusta beans. Coffees grown at high elevations tend to have higher acidity levels, while those grown at lower elevations may have lower acidity levels. Additionally, a light roast will generally have more acidity than a dark roast.
Why is acidic coffee so popular? ›
In coffee, acidity is an important component of the overall flavor profile. It adds depth and complexity in other layers of flavors in your cup of coffee.
Is Maxwell House coffee low acid? ›
We specially blended this brew so that it has a lower acidity level, meaning it's especially balanced and smooth.
What coffee is easiest on the gut? ›
Ask for Espresso
But espresso is known for being easier on the stomach for a couple of reasons. First, the combination of high pressure and short extraction time produces a different balance of chemical compounds than the same coffee would in a drip or pour over brew.
What tastes like coffee but isn't acidic? ›
7 Low-Acid Coffee Alternatives
- Chicory Root Coffee. Chicory root coffee is a low-acid alternative to coffee that dates back to the time of the ancient Egyptians and, as the name suggests, is made from chicory root. ...
- Matcha Tea. ...
- Yerba Mate. ...
- Herbal Tea. ...
- Chai Tea. ...
- Golden Milk. ...
- Kombucha. ...
- Decaffeinated Coffee.
Try drinking herbal teas, coconut water, smoothies, and plant-based milks. Learn… Learn how Carafate might help treat symptoms of GERD and what you should be aware of before starting it.
Slowly reduce your caffeine consumption. Cut back by drinking an increasingly smaller cup each day, or avoid coffee and other caffeinated beverages at night. Choose decaf options. Swap one of your cups of coffee each day with a cup of decaf for a period of time.
What can I drink instead of coffee to avoid acid reflux? ›
Chicory root tea is a low acid alternative to coffee, and also does not contain caffeine. Furthermore, it provides gut health benefits. Chicory contains inulin, which is a prebiotic. Prebiotics have been shown to help support a healthy gut microbiota, which in turn, can help reduce acid reflux.
Is folgers low-acid? ›
While it is not a low-acid coffee, Folgers Simply Smooth is specially blended and carefully roasted to reduce certain irritants associated with stomach discomfort.
Is there any coffee that is not acidic? ›
Dark roast coffees tend to be less acidic because of prolonged exposure to heat, which breaks down and caramelizes the naturally occurring acids within the beans resulting in a more mellow brew. Make that dark roast coffee a decaf and you've got a low-acid coffee drinker's dream!
What to eat with coffee to reduce acid? ›
Healthy breakfast foods like avocado and eggs (especially the whites) can be a top alkaline pairing to coffee and will help to take the acidity down a notch. Fibre-rich wholegrain foods like brown bread and porridge can also help to combat the symptoms of acid reflux.
What brand of coffee is good for acid reflux? ›
Puroast Low Acid Coffee French Roast Single-Serve Pods
Puroast Low Acid Coffee Single-Serve Pods are perfect for coffee lovers with heartburn, acid reflux and other gastrointestinal issues. It contains 7X higher antioxidants than green tea and 5X higher antioxidants than leading coffee brands.
How to tell if coffee is acidic? ›
Acidity is a primary coffee flavor sensation that is perceived as a pleasing sharpness toward the front of the mouth, a numbing sensation on the tip of the tongue, or a dryness at the back of the palate and/or under the edges of the tongue. It denotes or helps to describe the quality of a coffee.
Is dark roast coffee better for acid reflux? ›
Dark Roasts
They are, on average, slightly less acidic than lighter roast coffees and easier on the stomach. The chemical N-methylpyridinium, which is found in dark roasted beans, may also help to ease the symptoms of acid reflux.
Does cheap coffee have more acid? ›
While the pH levels of dark and light coffee roasts might be the same, very dark roasts and cheap coffee beans are also notorious for being overly acidic.
Is decaffeinated coffee acidic? ›
While decaffeinated coffee might be mildly less acidic on a pH scale than caffeinated coffee—and this will vary based on not only the coffee bean's variety but also the decaffeination process it undergoes—it is not significantly less acidic, perhaps the difference between a 4.7 (caffeinated) and a 5 (decaffeinated) pH.
You can always just add a little milk or cream to your coffee to reduce its acid content, as milk and cream work as acidity neutralizers. If dairy isn't your thing, adding plant-based milks to your coffee can help dilute the intensity of your cup of coffee too!
What kind of coffee is easiest on your stomach? ›
So, for a sensitive stomach, cold brew is your best option - you get all the caffeine with less of the acidity. They've proven to be up to 70% less acidic than hot brewed coffee made from the same beans… yes please!
Which is better, Folgers or Maxwell House? ›
For those who prefer a smoother, mellow taste, Maxwell House may be the better choice, as they use 100% Arabica beans in their blends. However, for those who enjoy a bolder, richer flavor, Folgers may be the way to go, as they use a mix of Arabica and Robusta beans.
Is finer ground coffee more acidic? ›
A finer grind exposes more surface area of the bean, enabling a more rapid extraction of acids and oils. In contrast, a coarser grind offers less surface area, resulting in a slower extraction and potentially a less acidic cup of coffee.
What is the least acidic way to drink coffee? ›
Cold Brew Process Yields Low Acid Coffee
Both bean type and roast type can play a major role in the acidity of the coffee but how you make your coffee also makes a difference. The least acidic coffee brewing method is to make cold brew coffee.
Is folgers low acid? ›
While it is not a low-acid coffee, Folgers Simply Smooth is specially blended and carefully roasted to reduce certain irritants associated with stomach discomfort.
How to drink coffee without getting acid reflux? ›
If coffee is causing you heartburn, choosing low-acid coffee, a dark roast, or coffee with less caffeine might help ease your symptoms so you don't have to give it up entirely. Some functional mushrooms have also been found to ease acid reflux, balance out acidity and lessen the side effects of caffeine.
What coffee is not bitter or acidic? ›
Light roast coffees are less bitter, sweeter, and can have a citrus aroma. While dark roasts carry a more pronounced bitterness with an aroma reminiscent of nuts or chocolate. Medium roasts are more balanced in that they have body while still carrying complex brighter notes.
