7 Ways to Make Coffee Less Acidic


How To Make Coffee Less Acidic

As many person’s worldwide widely consume coffee, there are a few who have problems with this widely sought beverage.

While some people can’t get enough of this beverage, others may shy away because of its effects on their bodies. Coffee contains acids. Even though these acids add to the coffee flavor, they can also cause health problems for some people. Numerous individuals claim that they experience a painful sensation similar to heartburns. Medical experts call this medical condition Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD).

Even if you suffer from GERD, that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying a good cup of coffee. I have compiled some life hacks that would prove useful to you in reducing your coffee’s acidity.

How To Make Coffee Less Acidic

There are several ways to make a cup of coffee with a lower acidity that would go well with your body system. Some of them include; using a low acid coffee bean such as Arabica beans, using a darker coffee roast, adding milk, among several others. More details would be included in the article.

7 Ways to Make Coffee Less Acidic

Coffee beans contain over 850 compounds that give it the unique taste and flavor. Some of these compounds are acids, which consequently influence the acidity of your cup of coffee. These acids include but are not limited to chlorogenic acid, phosphoric acid, Quinic acid, and malic acid.

It has been found that the average pH of a cup of coffee is around 5, which is still a lot less acidic than a glass of apple juice. However, apple juice doesn’t have any health effects, but coffee does. Research has shown that when caffeine eventually gets into the system, it increases the stomach’s acidity, which might cause health issues to some people.

Here are some tips to help you lower the acidity in your coffee beans.

Brew with a low-acid coffee beans

Some brands produce low-acid coffee beans. These beans are processed to reduce their acid content. The techniques used to process the coffee bean can affect the acidity.

If you have GERD, experts advise coffee lovers to brew their coffee with soft beans- the harder the beans, the higher the acidity and vice versa.

An example is the Arabica beans. Arabica beans have a lower acid concentration than regular coffee beans. People with GERD should use low-acid beans instead when brewing their coffee beverages.

You can easily purchase low-acid coffee beans from the mall.

Use a dark roast

Another way to lower your coffee acidity is to choose a dark coffee roast for your coffee brewing. The roasting process determines the color of your coffee beans and how much acidity is retained. A dark roast coffee bean is made by exposing the coffee bean to the roasting process slightly longer than light roast and medium roast. Due to the long exposure, most of the acidic content in the coffee bean is removed. Thus, making it safer for people with acid reflux.

Generally, the lighter the coffee roasts, the higher the acidity. Acids imbue brightness in the physical appearance of coffee beans. An example is a malic acid- malic acid gives your coffee beans a citrus fruit taste and a bright color.

To produce a coffee with reduced acidity, use a dark roast in brewing your coffee.

Change your brewing methods

The brewing methods also play a large role in determining whether your coffee comes out acidic or not. Even if you are brewing with the right coffee seeds, messing up with the brewing process would give you an acidic coffee.

When your brewing time is short, or maybe your grind size is too coarse, you produce an under-extracted coffee. An under-extracted coffee is acidic in nature.

Hence, in order to make a coffee with a mild acidic level, watch your coffee extraction, and make sure you get it right. Since the brewing method is a function of the coffee grind size and the brewing time, try to fine-tune your recipe to get it right. With time, you’ll be perfect at brewing.

Add milk or cream

For those who don’t like to take their coffee black, milk or cream works as an excellent additive to give your coffee a sweet taste and lighten your coffee color. Milk lowers the acidity of your coffee too.

Milk balances the pH level of your coffee drink. So you can throw a splash of cream into your coffee to lower the acidity. Light roast coffee and milk make an excellent combination to lower acidity levels in coffee.

Use eggshells in the brewing process

Eggshells are alkaline. They dissolve in acids to reduce the acidic level. You can also add them to your coffee to neutralize your coffee’s acidity and balance things out. In the process, they even go a step higher and absorb over-extracted flavors from your coffee, thus making them taste better.

Add salt

Much can be said about the usefulness of salt in making food. Many coffee lovers claim that adding a dash of salt to your grounds before brewing reduces your coffee’s acidity and brings out your coffee’s sweetness. As a matter of fact, research has shown that salt is better at reducing the bitterness in your coffee than sugar. However, be careful with the quantity of salt, so you don’t ruin your coffee.

A quarter teaspoon of salt to every 6 tablespoons of the coffee ground is the appropriate measurement.

Cold brewing

Another way to brew a less-acidic coffee is to cold brew. Cold brewing means steeping your coffee using cold water. Hot boiling water extracts most of the organic acids from your coffee. Hence it is suitable for people with acid reflux.

Although cold brewing takes a lot of time (up to 24 hours), it will ensure no over-extraction of the organic acid. Using cold water to brew your coffee reduces the acid released by 70%.

These are some of the ways to reduce the acidity of your coffee, making it easier for you to enjoy this premium beverage. With any of these methods, you are guaranteed a coffee drink that would agree with your body.

You shouldn’t have to stop taking coffee because of your GERD issues; enjoy coffee without complications by incorporating these steps into your daily lifestyle.

What Does An Acid Reducer Do?

One of the easiest ways to tone down the acid levels in your coffee is to use an acid reducer. An acid reducer triggers a chemical reaction with your coffee’s acid components, causing a neutralization reaction to occur. This chemical reaction between the alkaline and the acid reduces the acid level, making it safer for you to consume. Acid reducers can lower the acid levels by up to 90%

The good thing about acid reducers is that you can quickly get them at the mall at low prices. Just add it to your coffee to make it easier for you to drink.

Does The Type Of Water Affect Acidity?

The type of water you use to brew your coffee can influence its acidity. Coffee lovers around the world prefer to use filtered water for their coffee due to its purity. However, hard water is effective in reducing the acid levels of your coffee.

Hard water contains calcium compounds that neutralize the acid components. In contrast, soft water contains only sodium, which can’t balance out the acidity.

Related Questions

What Kind Of Coffee Is The Best For People With GERD?

Dark-roasted coffee has the least concentration of acid among the coffee roast types.  People with GERD should buy specific brands that provide low-acid beans.

Is Coffee With Milk Less Acidic?

Yes, it is. The combination of milk and coffee provides a coffee with reduced acidity. Adding milk to coffee may also help it become more stomach-friendly, at least for those who can have milk.

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