How to Reduce Acidity in Coffee: If you’re dealing with unfortunate acid reflux pain after morning coffee or are concerned about heartburn for any other health reason, you’re in the right place. While we all love endless coffee, many people struggle with this heartburn.
We should definitely talk about a little bit of chemistry, but only a little bit. Coffee contains acids, and this can cause problems for some people. But while a little heartburn in a cup of coffee contributes to the flavor, other acids can give you (along with 60 million Americans every month) the unpleasant heartburn sensation.
If you suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or if you don’t like the taste of sour coffee, don’t worry. We have solutions for our readers. In this article, we will talk about how the acidity of coffee affects you, and then we will offer some tips on how to tame the burn.
This question may bring back terrible memories of high school chemistry, but it’s essential to keep in mind.
Scientists measure acidity using the pH scale, which is a measure of the relative prevalence of positive hydrogen ions. This is because the more hydrogen ions are in a solution, the more acidic a substance will be.
Acidity is measured on the pH scale
- A pH of 7 is precisely neutral.
- Values below 7 are considered acidic, while values up to 14 are alkaline.
- Coffee varies around 5, with some light roasts in the 4.7 range.
- In comparison, orange juice is 3, tomato juice 4.
When hydrogen interacts with other elements, it can lose electrons or gain electrons. If hydrogen loses electrons, it forms a positive ion, which can cause a handful of other reactions, many of which cause discomfort.
If hydrogen gains an electron, it binds to oxygen and forms a negatively charged molecule. All of this is a lot to keep in mind, and most of it doesn’t matter when considering coffee. But one aspect is essential: running water is neutral (as in, neither acidic nor alkaline). And then, everything we do to irrigate can change this balance.
In fact, coffee generally has a pH lower than 5 (out of 7). This means that coffee is acidic, and the only way to do less is to change the balance of hydrogen ions somehow.
10 Tips to help you avoid or Reduce Acid in Coffee
Whether you don’t like the taste or the side effects, here are our ten tips for taming sour coffee:
1. Use Low Acid Coffee Beans
There is a growing market for low-acid coffee beans. Some of these are naturally produced to reduce their acid content; Others have compounds added to tame the burn.
2. Use Arabica Beans
Arabica beans generally contain much less acid than their cousins of Robusta beans infused with lower grade caffeine. An Arabica bean for brewing can be an excellent starting point for lower acidity, but it should be done by default (if you drink a good quality coffee).
3. Pay Attention to Altitude & Terrain
Tall coffee tends to be more acidic. Likewise, volcanic soil also often contributes to acidity (7). While this may seem unlikely to “look for,” it’s easy to tell if you’re buying your beans from a quality institution.
Every good coffee supplier knows all about the altitude and the land where some beans have been grown. If the bag doesn’t say, ask. They are likely more than happy to tell you their knowledge about coffee, we promise!
4. Try Different Regions of Coffee
Although each winery has its own unique aromatic profile, there are general characteristics that each coffee region tends to produce. Kenya, for example, often grows more fruitful and more acidic coffee beans. On the other hand, coffees from Brazil and Sumatra tend to have low acidity.
5. Roast Matters!
The lighter roasts emphasize acidity: the coffees described as “bright” or flavored with citrus fruits generally present these acid characteristics such as malic acid.
Light roasts and medium roasts increased in popularity with the third wave of coffee, probably because they are suitable for preparing single-origin beans with pouring methods.
If you are not a fan of roasted coffee, the so-called “Espresso” and “French roast” are better options.
6. Watch your Draw
Once you have found the perfect beans, you need to get the right preparation. Acidity is a typical symptom of poorly subtracted coffee; What happens when your grind size is too thick or its preparation time is too short.
The perfect size and grinding time largely depend on the fermentation method. Just find the right recipe for you and stick to it—coffee rewards precision.
7. Add the Milk
Another method of reducing coffee acidity is to add milk or cream (8). Milk helps balance the PH level.
Due to their acidity, light roasts tend to drink less milk. This is especially true of soy milk that shrinks in sour coffee, something to keep in mind if plant-based milk is preferred in coffee. So along with getting that dark roast, feel free to add a pinch of cream to lessen the acidity!
8. Use Cold Brew
Cold coffee machines have become more popular these days and for some reason. These coffee makers produce a less bitter and perfectly balanced coffee. This type of coffee is preferred by many people who suffer from acid reflux or other digestive system problems.
With cold preparation, the acidity is neutralized because the water used to extract the coffee beans’ flavor is cold. With this method, you can prepare your coffee in advance, and it will give you a coffee cup with a sweet taste. With this method, immerse the ground coffee beans in cold water for at least 24 hours before preparation.
Keep in mind that cold water does not extract the natural acids contained in the coffee. In general, the acidity in coffee is caused by the oils in the coffee beans, and since hot water releases the acids, cold fermentation does not. In this way, you will enjoy a coffee with 70% less acid, unlike coffee made with hot beer.
The only negative aspect of cold brewing is that it is not suitable for people in a hurry. Since you use cold water to extract the ground coffee beans’ flavor, the process is slow and, if you don’t have time, drink unflavored coffee. But you can dip the coffee in advance so that when you want to brew it, the cold water has already extracted the flavor.
9. Neutralize the Acids with an Acid Reducer
As mentioned earlier, coffee is naturally acidic; you may want to find a way to neutralize some of these acids so that the end product is less acidic. As such, an acid reducer can be used.
An acid reducer will produce a chemical reaction that will neutralize some of the acids in the coffee. The good news is that acid reducers can be found in any coffee shop and are not as expensive as such. It is important to keep them close if you are a coffee addict, as they will always make your cup of coffee the flavor you want. Another positive thing about acid reducers is that they reduce acidity in coffee without altering the taste.
In fact, if you get the best acid reducers, you can reduce the acidity of your coffee by up to 90%, which means you won’t have to worry about heartburn after drinking your cup of coffee.
10. Use Eggshells
It sounds strange. Do you mix eggshells while making coffee to make it less acidic? How does it work? There is simple chemistry that works to reduce acidity in coffee when mixed with eggshells. You already know that eggshells contain alkaline calcium. When using eggshells during coffee preparation, the alkaline component neutralizes the acids in the ground coffee beans.
Besides, eggshells reduce the bitter taste that the roast bean preparation method could cause. Break two eggs and wash them so that no eggs remain. Make no mistake by mixing raw eggs with coffee while brewing. Add the cleaned and crushed eggshells to the coffee beans in your coffee maker, and then prepare the coffee as you normally would, and you will be left with a tastier but less acidic coffee that protects you from acid reflux.
On the positive side, making cold coffee is easy, especially if you use a French press.
The Easiest Method to Reduce Acidity
And finally, we have such an easy method that it almost looks like a trap: add a water stream.
Think about the small amount of chemistry we discussed earlier: water, by definition, is neutral. This means that mixing a little water with coffee will decrease the relative prevalence of hydrogen ions. This is a surefire way to increase your drink’s pH and make your morning coffee a little more alkaline.
Conclusion: How to Reduce Acidity in Coffee
Coffee is a strong drink that can nourish your body with the energy it needs to start the day the right way. Its aroma is stimulating, but many people have acid reflux problems after drinking a cup of coffee or two. That’s why most people prefer to add some milk or cream to balance acid levels. If you also experience heartburn after drinking coffee or don’t like acidity, these thirteen simple ways will help make your coffee less acidic.
Read more about Should Kids Be Allowed To Drink Coffee?
Experiment with the different methods we shared in this article to see which one works best for you and let us know in the comments section.
