Coffee gives us an energy boost that lasts until the end of the day. Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world. People of all ages, castes, genders, and religions adore it because of the variety of coffee styles that are enhanced in flavor by the potent caffeine. Do you know if is Coffee acidic?
Many people are curious as to whether coffee is an acidic beverage, whether for health reasons or simply out of curiosity. The fact that it frequently has a bitter, acidic taste, which is a pretty good indication, contributes to the claim that it is extremely acidic.
The brief answer is, yes, coffee is acidic, but it might not be quite as acidic as you think. The causes of coffee’s acidity and its actual acidity are discussed below. Let’s begin!
What Is Acidity?
The primary sensation associated with coffee flavor is acidity, which is described as a dryness under the tongue’s edges or dryness at the back of the palate. Acidity can also be described as a numbing sensation on the tip of the tongue. It denotes or helps to describe the quality of a coffee.
Acidity is one of the major coffee characteristics along with body, aroma, sweetness, bitterness, and aftertaste used by coffee professionals to describe the taste of a coffee. A desirable quality, acidity is characterized by a pleasant snap or crispness. The coffee’s pH has nothing to do with the degree of acidity.
Acidity is typically very apparent and can be described as sweet, crisp, and/or tart, somewhat like a dry wine. Other characteristics of the coffee are improved by this. Dry, sharp, vibrant, lively, moderate, or dull are additional adjectives used to describe a coffee’s acidity. A coffee’s acidity may also have a mild fruity flavor, such as citrus, lemon, or berry-like notes.
Is Coffee Acidic?
Yes: coffee contains acids, and that can cause problems for some people. But while some acidity in a cup of coffee contributes to the flavor, other acids might give you (along with 60 million Americans every month) the nasty sensation of heartburn.
Whether you’re suffering from gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) or you simply dislike the taste of acidic coffee, don’t worry…we’ve got solutions.
We’ll discuss how coffee’s acidity affects you in this article, followed by some advice on how to soothe the burn.
Is Coffee Acidity Dangerous?
Coffee is consumed by millions of Americans every day, and, for the most part, coffee drinkers continue fueling their caffeine addiction without consequence. Some other common beverages and foods have more acidity, but coffee can, of course, be detrimental to those who have existing stomach sensitivity or problems.
Doctors frequently advise their patients to reduce or completely eliminate their coffee intake if they have a history of stomach ulcers or acid reflux, for example. For those who don’t have a history of issues brought on by acidity in food and drink, coffee probably won’t cause any issues.
Why Coffee Makes You Feel Sick?
The amount of acid in coffee has little bearing on stomach discomfort, motion sickness, or diarrhea. If you think the acid in coffee is what makes you feel queasy, here’s the test: unless juice, beer, wine, or soda make you feel the same way, acidity isn’t the issue. Instead, the likely culprits include:
Bean Remnants
This is the number of leftover bean solids (particulate matter) 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 dark roast coffee beans have been roasted longer and as such, are more fragile and easier to break up when being ground. The pH of dark and light roast coffees doesn’t differ significantly, though.
Caffeine
Per the above, the more bean material in the brew, the more caffeine will continue to be extracted in the stomach. Generally speaking, caffeine causes the body to produce more gastric juice. Again, the brew method can make a big difference: Americanos and espressos carry less caffeine than drip.
Milk
Although only for the palate, adding milk and its proteins to coffee will definitely make it more pleasant overall. Dairy proteins in the stomach cause the production of gastric juices. This may be a recipe for discomfort for many people in the presence of other acids.
What Is The PH Of Coffee?
Acidity is measured on the pH scale:
- A pH of 7 is precisely neutral.
- Acidic values fall below 7, while alkaline values range from 7 to 14.
- Coffee ranges around 5, with some light roasts in the 4.7 range.
- Orange juice rates a 3, while tomato juice gets a 4.
Not all coffee acids are harmful. Examples of acids that can enhance the sweetness of coffee include phosphoric acid and malic acid. Other acids, like citric acid and acetic acid, add tartness when used sparingly, but too much of them can give the coffee a sour taste. It all comes down to finding the right acidity balance. That is one of the secrets to making great coffee.
Chlorogenic acid, which sounds frightening, may contribute to weight loss. However, there is a silver lining—or in this case, a dark one: a longer roasting process tends to break down Chlorogenic acid. It also contributes much to the bitterness coffee drinkers perceive as coffee acidity. In that case, the dark roast coffee you’ve been eyeing might help you feel better.
The main culprit is Quinic acid, produced as coffee degrades, especially when left on a hot plate or burner. Do you remember the burned, bitter taste of the coffee in the break room? Quinic acid is what it is, and it is bad for the digestive system. Fortunately, there is a quick fix for this: get rid of the warmer and buy an insulated coffee carafe.
Tips to Help You Avoid or Reduce Acidic Coffee
Whether you don’t like the flavor or the side effects, here are our top ten tips on taming acidic coffee:
1. Use Low-Acid Coffee Beans
Low-acid coffee beans are becoming more and more popular. Some of these are made in a way that lowers the amount of acid they contain naturally, while others have compounds added to them to lessen the burn.
2. Use Arabica Beans
In comparison to their Robusta bean cousins, which are of lower quality and contain more caffeine, Arabica beans typically contain significantly less acid. Using an Arabica bean for your brew can be a great starting point for lower acidity – but you should already be doing this by default (if you drink good quality coffee)
3. Pay Attention To Altitude And Soil
High-altitude coffee is typically more acidic. Likewise, acidity is frequently influenced by volcanic soil. It may seem impossible to simply “look up” something like this, but you can quickly determine whether the source of your beans is a reputable company.
Any good coffee provider worth their salt knows all about the altitude and soil where their certain beans were grown. Simply inquire if the bag is silent. We guarantee they’ll be delighted to impart their expertise on coffee to you!
4. Try Different Coffee Growing Regions
While every coffee farm has a distinctive flavor profile, each coffee region can sometimes produce certain traits. For instance, Kenya frequently produces coffee beans that are fruitier and more acidic. On the other hand, coffees from Sumatra and Brazil typically have low acidity.
5. Roast Matters
Lighter roasts emphasize acidity – coffees described as “bright” or with the taste of citrus fruits usually get these characteristics from acids such as malic acid.
Because they work well for pour-over methods of brewing single-origin beans, light roasts and medium roasts have become more popular with the third wave of coffee.
The so-called “Espresso” and “French roasts” are preferable if you don’t like light-roasted coffee.
6. Watch Your Extraction
After locating the ideal beans, you must create the ideal brew. Acidity is a typical symptom of under-extracted coffee; which happens when your grind size is too coarse or your brew time is too short.
Depending on your brewing technique, the ideal grind size and brewing time will differ. Simply choose the best recipe for you and follow it. Precision pays off with coffee.
7. Add Milk
Simply adding milk or cream to your coffee is another way to lessen its acidity. The milk helps to balance out the PH level.
Light roasts generally take milk less well because of their acidity. This is especially true for soy milk, which will curdle in acidic coffee; keep this in mind if you prefer plant-based milk in your coffee. Therefore, feel free to add a little cream to your dark roast in addition to getting that dark roast to help balance the acidity.
8. Use Eggshells
Looking for something to soothe the bitterness of a black cup of coffee? To brew, think about using eggshells.
Eggshells are alkaline, which means they help neutralize the natural acidity in coffee, balancing things out and even removing any bitter, over-extracted flavors in the process.
9. Add Salt
This can significantly reduce acidity and even bring out the sweetness of your coffee and works regardless of the brewing method. Just make sure to add the appropriate quantity. You don’t want to go overboard.
10. Brew It Cold
Did you know that steeping ground coffee in cold water can reduce the acidity of coffee by as much as 60%? It’s accurate to say that the cold brewing technique is easy to use and effective at reducing acidic beans.
Low Acidity Coffee
If you want low acidity coffee, seek out coffees from Brazil, Indonesia, Hawaii, the Caribbean, El Salvador, and Indonesia. 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.