Are you looking for ways to reduce acid reflux that doesn’t involve giving up coffee?
If yes, then you are at the right place. In this article, I am gonna tell you 11 different ways to reduce acid levels in Coffee.
How do you make coffee less acidic?
Although the acidity of coffee can’t be eliminated entirely, there are a few things you can do to significantly reduce acidity in coffee.
I personally prefer and recommend using Low Acid Coffee beans as it decreases the acids in coffee significantly or using Alkalizing granules like Tamer Coffee(this is the easiest way). To have the best results use low acid coffee beans with Tamer Alkalizing granules.
How To Make Coffee Less Acidic?
You can make Coffee less acidic by using top quality Arabica beans grown at low elevations, Medium to Dark Roasted fine ground coffee, Alkaline water at 195F to 205F or Cold brew coffee using an infusion method to decrease acid levels.
You can also reduce acidity in coffee by adding additives like acid reducers, salt, baking soda, milk, cinnamon, and natural sweeteners to your brewed coffee without affecting the coffee’s natural flavor.
Here are the 11 proven ways to make Coffee less acidic.
Ways To Reduce Acidity In Your Coffee
I have further explained in detail the list of things to do to have a less acidic coffee. Try to follow these simple techniques and drink a low acidic cup of coffee every day.
1. Choose Low Acid Beans
Choose the best quality dark roasted beans grown at low elevations from regions like Sumatra, Guatemala or Nicaragua to reduce acid levels in Coffee. Always select coffee beans that are dark roasted in small batches right before shipping.
After a thorough research of various low acid coffee brands, I found Lifeboost Low Acid Coffee beans to be a good fit. With neutral pH levels, this low acid coffee is very gentle on the stomach.
I highly recommend you give LifeBoost Low Acid Coffee beans a try for your sensitive stomach.
How Low Acid Beans Help Reduce Acidity?
Low Acid coffee beans are treated differently. Each bean’s acidity is significantly reduced by roasting the beans very slowly. So, the final product will contain less acid, but these low acid coffee beans still retain full flavor.
Coffee beans grown at lower elevations have less acid than those grown at higher elevations. Knowing where the coffee bean was grown can provide you with a naturally low acid coffee. Bean acidity varies according to plant, altitude, growing region, and bean type.
Coffee tastes more acidic when grown at high altitudes.
2. Use Dark Roast Beans
Dark roasted coffee beans are high in antioxidants and low in acidity, making them the greatest source of low acidic coffee. Maintains a good caffeine boost, bold flavor and full-bodied cup.
For a dark roasted and best tasting low acid coffee, pick Lifeboost Low Acid Coffee. This coffee is low in acidity levels and high in taste.
Life boost low acid coffee is going to be life changing for you. A coffee that your stomach can now tolerate and your taste buds will thank you for.
Which Coffee Roast Is Least Acidic?
Dark roast coffee produces bold and rich, less acid coffee. The time and heat needed to roast the coffee bean get rid of different compounds that cause coffee acids to rise up, such as organic acids. So that the dark roast coffee is less acidic.
Dark Roast coffee beans stay longer or at a high temperature on the roasting machine. It means the beans will lose more moisture, making them less dense and less caffeinated. A single note in flavor and lower their chlorogenic acid levels.
How the coffee is roasted determines the level of acidity, as this process breaks down the acids.
Learn More about is Coffee Acidic?
3. Choose Fine Grind
Grind your coffee beans to a fine size to reduce acidity in coffee. The smaller the ground, the greater the surface area exposed, Which leads to more flavors and aromas being extracted.
Acidity is a particular symptom of extracted coffee. That will lead to a sour taste, which happens when your grind size is too coarse or brewing time is too short.
How Fine Grind Beans Help Reduce Acidity?
Fine grind coffee beans decreases coffee acids by extraction method used. Fine grind exposes more surface area to water during extraction. Any brewing method that uses fine ground coffee, such as espresso or mokapot, has the shortest brewing time. As a result, fine ground coffee has a rich flavor, aroma, and is low in acid.
Coarse grind coffee beans will slow down the extraction rate because of its lower surface area. Using a coarse grind may result in a more acidic cup of coffee because of extraction. The moment water comes in contact with coffee, the flavor and aroma begin to diffuse into the water.
Less acidic coffee? Grind finer.
More acidic coffee? Grind coarser.
4. Change Brewing Method
Changing the brewing method to cold brew can result in decrease of acid levels in coffee. Brewing Coffee is the procedure of extracting the soluble material in roasted & ground coffee. Solubility and extraction can be affected by a wide range of things. Like Grind size, Water mineral content, Water temperature, Roast degree, and Brew methods.
Extraction is the speed at which flavors and aromas are extracted.
Brew time is the amount of time the ground coffee spends in the water. The longer you brew coffee, the higher the level of caffeine in your beverage. Along with brew time, brewing methods such as Cold Brew also help to reduce acidity in coffee.
How Does The Brewing Method Affect Acidity In Coffee?
Cold brew coffee contains up to 70% less acid than regular coffee. As a result, Cold Brew Coffee is one of the finest ways to reduce the acidity of coffee. Cold brewing is a healthier alternative to normal hot brew coffee. Because it reduces acidity, it may aid with heartburn and acid reflux.
Steep the coffee in cold water for 12-24 hours at room temperature. Resulting in a perfect cup of coffee with a smooth, rich, and long shelf life. It produces coffee with a more rounded, less bitter taste, and it’s also favored by many people who have problems with acid reflux or other digestive issues.
Cold brewing can effectively decrease the acid in coffee because it uses cold rather than hot water to extract flavor from beans. As a result, much less acid is drawn into the finished brew.
5. Add Eggshells
Brewing coffee using eggshells not only helps to lower the acidity of the coffee. However, it contains calcium, which is beneficial to bones and teeth. Before using Eggshells to brew coffee, thoroughly clean and dry them. Make a powder and combine it with coffee grounds. Use this blend to make coffee. Before pouring coffee into your cup, use a filter.
This is not my first choice for reducing the acidity in coffee. But it does an excellent job!
How Eggshells Reduce Acidity In Coffee?
Eggshells are alkaline in nature, and the whole idea of decreasing acidity in coffee is to elevate the pH of coffee so that it does not irritate the sensitive stomach.
While brewing your coffee, add eggshells to neutralize acidity, bitterness, and over-extracted coffee. Because eggshells contain calcium minerals, using them lowers the amount of acid in coffee.
6. Use Acid Reducers
Acid Reducers like coffee tamer are a great source to reduce acidity in coffee. Calcium, potassium, and magnesium are included in each packet. By adding this to your coffee, you can neutralize the acidity of the drink and make it more alkaline, making it gentler on stomach. This acid reducers act like quick solution to try and decrease coffee acids. And are small enough to carry with you without altering the taste of the coffee.
High-quality Acid reducers are available on Amazon. I use the Coffee Tamer for myself. I highly recommend you use this Coffee Tamer to get rid of acid content in your coffee.
These acid reducers can remove 90% of acidity from your coffee. One thing to keep in mind, these are not antacids.
Using acid reducers is a proactive method not to let coffee’s acid upset your stomach.
How Does Salt Reduce Acidity In Coffee?
Adding salt to coffee helps reduce coffee acidity by reducing the bitterness and making it easier to drink. Without a tangy taste on the sides of your tongue. Though it doesn’t change the pH level of coffee. Putting in a pinch of salt helps relish coffee by enhancing coffee flavor.
The amount of acids in the coffee impacts the bitterness of the coffee. And adding salt to brewed coffee reduces bitterness and makes it easier on the stomach.
Does Baking Soda Reduce Acidity In Coffee?
Baking Soda is alkaline in nature with pH of 8, which can balance the acid levels in coffee. Adding 1/4th teaspoon of baking soda to a coffee pot after brewing or while brewing neutralizes acidity in coffee and that makes it easier on the stomach. Adding Sodium bicarbonate reduces the bitterness of coffee and makes it a smooth beverage.
Baking soda helps in preventing heartburn. Helps with acid reflux and soothes the stomach against harsh acids.
Does Milk Reduce Acidity In Coffee?
Adding Milk or Cream is another best way to lower the coffee’s acid levels if you like your coffee with additives. Milk or cream helps reduce some of the acidity. The calcium in these components helps balance the coffee’s pH, making it less acidic.
Calcium is a mineral present in milk. Which helps reduce heartburn or acidity in general and is used as an antacid. Calcium builds muscle tone and strengthens the lower esophageal sphincter(LES). Preventing reflux in the stomach.
Milk is also rich in fat, which can trigger heartburn and cause more significant reflux. People who face this trouble should use low-fat, skimmed milk to lower acidity levels in coffee.
How Does Almond Milk Reduce Acidity In Coffee?
Almond Milk is a highly healthy alternative to make your coffee less acidic. Almond milk is the best choice for a non-dairy milk product. Especially for people who are allergic to milk or dairy products. Almond milk has an alkaline composition. Which helps reduce stomach acid and relieve acid reflux symptoms.
Although you can use almond milk to make hot coffee. Due to its nutty flavor and watery consistency, Almond milk tastes amazing in iced coffee or latte recipes.
How Does Cinnamon Reduce Acidity In Coffee?
Cinnamon neutralizes the acidity in coffee as it’s a natural antacid with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. When taken in small quantities after the meal, Cinnamon is prone to reduce acidity levels. So, adding just a pinch of cinnamon helps neutralize acids and doesn’t interfere with coffee smell or flavor. But instead, it tastes good.
Although it’s not technically proven to reduce acidity. We rely on cinnamon due to its natural potential to cure acidity.
Cinnamon, when taken in large quantities, causes acidity. That is why the dilemma is whether cinnamon decreases acidity or increases it.
How Does Butter Help Reduce Acidity In Coffee?
Although it has not been shown that drinking coffee with butter reduces acidity levels in coffee. Personally, I find that putting butter in my coffee helps to reduce acid reflux. Having butter coffee once in a while might have more amazing effects. Butter, when ingested in tiny amounts, boosts beneficial bacteria in the gut. Also aids digestion by reducing inflammation.
Butter supports in the maintenance of metabolism. Butter, a high-fat substance with a pH of 6.1 to 6.4, must be consumed in moderation.
People with GERD should avoid taking butter because of the fat content. It might take longer for digestion for people suffering from GERD.
7. Use Paper Filter
To lower the acidity in coffee, use a paper filter, which retains coffee oils before pouring them into the cup. Coffee’s acids are released during the extraction process.
When using brewing methods such as a Pour-over, Chemexand Aeropress, using a paper filter is madatory anyway. All of the oils are captured during extraction process. However, when brewing coffee, using a French press, where filters are not used, a paper filter can trap oils and decrease the acidity before it reaches your cup.
Each coffee bean contains about 12% oil and fat. Depending on the level of roasting. Coffee beans appear to undergo a chemical reaction when exposed to oxygen and that changes the amount of oil in bean.
8. Use Alkaline Water
Alkaline water is naturally “Alkaline” with a pH of 8. Alkaline water’s minerals naturally assist balance the acids and reduce the bitterness of coffee, giving it a deeper and fuller flavor. Include alkaline water in your everyday routine for even better effects.
Can Alkaline Water Reduces Acids In coffee?
The pH of regular drinking water is 7 and alkaline water is 8. Using Alkaline water instead of regular water for brewing coffee can help to lessen acidity. Hard Water and its mineral composition, particularly magnesium and calcium can have a significant impact on the flavor of coffee acids.
Drinking alkaline water on a daily basis can assist with acid reflux. Alkaline water improves immunity. Reduce acidity caused by poor food, stress, and environmental pollutants by neutralizing the acid in the bloodstream.
Alkaline water which can be obtained naturally or created intentionally through a chemical process known as electrolysis.
9. Water Temperature
The coffee has about 94-98% water. It means water temperature used to brew coffee impacts the taste highly. Water temperature impacts acidity in coffee because hot water releases oils that are not dissolved at lower temperatures.
These oils are full of acidic compounds that give coffee its bitter bite. The hotter the water, the more swiftly extraction will happen. If the water temperature is cold, the acids won’t extract.
Traditionally brewed hot coffee has a lot of acids along with antioxidant properties.
10. Check Caffeine Intake
Checking your caffeine intake is one more way to reduce acidity in coffee. However, it’s not proven that caffeine has any significant effect on acid reflux. You don’t have to cut the intake of coffee or caffeinated drinks but regulate it according to your diet for a better experience.
The main factor that causes acid reflux is the stomach acid and not the acid in coffee beans. So, it depends from person to person on the amount of caffeine one can take.
Try drinking an espresso made with dark roast instead of your morning breakfast coffee made with a light roast. One shot of espresso has significantly less caffeine than any other morning coffee.
There are caffeine-free options available, like Chicory Coffee, Decaf Coffee(bare minimum caffeine quantity). To disregard the entire confusion on caffeine and acid reflux.
Decaf coffee is the best coffee beverage to eliminate acidity caused due to caffeine. A decaf coffee process eliminates 97% of the caffeine from the bean even before it is roasted.
11. Don’t Leave Coffee In Thermos
To experience the flavor of coffee and its aroma, coffee needs to be consumed within 30 minutes after brewing. The longer it waits, the taste of coffee keeps going bad and loses its flavor, tends to taste bitter and burnt.
If it is stored in a sealed container in a refrigerator, it might still preserve the exact taste for 3-4 hours. But to rule out the acidity factor of coffee, drinking it shortly after the coffee is brewed is advisable.
Summary
To reduce the acidity levels in coffee, choose dark roast beans over light roast, drink cold brew instead of hot, increase brew time, go for a finer grind, and brew coffee at a lower temperature.
All of these methods will help neutralize the acid levels in Coffee for a fantastic experience.
The wonderful thing about brewing our coffee is that we get to drink it precisely the way we like it. If you are like me and love to explore every type of beverage in the world of coffee, go ahead give these a try.
All you have to do is, try any of the methods discussed in our article to reduce acidity in coffee and bid goodbye to that unpleasant feeling in your stomach.
How to Test The Acidity In Coffee?
Acidity in coffee can be tested by using a pH scale. If the reading on the pH scale falls below 7, it is considered acidic. Because the pH of water is 7, anything below the scale is acidic. Anything above 7 is alkaline.
Also, the mouthfeel after you drink coffee explains about acidity in coffee. After a sip of coffee, if you feel tartness on the sides of your tongue, heartburn or an unpleasant feeling in your stomach. It means the coffee you drink is highly acidic.
What Is The Best Temperature To Make Coffee?
The best Temperature to make a coffee is to heat water between 195 – 205 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature is used for optimal extraction. Coffee’s change in taste primarily comes from a shift in Temperature while brewing it. Too hot water will lose quality in the taste, while cold water will result in flat or under-extracted coffee.
Exposing coffee grounds to hot water releases oils that won’t dissolve at low temperatures. These oils are full of acidic compounds that give coffee its bitter bite with an acid shock. The hotter the water, the more swiftly the extraction will happen – but too cool a water temperature and the acids won’t extract.
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Very interesting information. I am confused though about the measurements. If I am drinking a single cup of coffee (say 8 oz) how much baking soda would I use? Is 1/4 tsp for a pot of coffee?
I have been drinking cold brew coffee and it really helps my stomach, but overall it’s pretty expensive buying it pre-made. I might try making cold brew myself, but for now I would like to try calming the free coffee at work to drinkable levels. I’m thinking of using a mix of baking soda, cinnamon, and a touch of salt.