Coffee has some excellent benefits. It has been linked with the potential to prevent heart diseases and cognitive aging and improve scalp and skin health as long as it is consumed in moderation. However, an average American drinking 3 cups of coffee daily has greater associated risks than potential benefits.
Excessive coffee consumption may lead to anxiety, insomnia, and acidity. Most coffees are around 5 on the pH scale, making them acidic. While a cup or two at most in a day is not harmful, consuming three daily may cause severe acidity.
However, this problem can be easily managed by using the following tips on how to make coffee less acidic.
Why is Coffee Acidic?
The method of roasting, brewing, and size of particles after grinding cause differences in the pH of different coffees, but most coffees are between 4.8 and 5.1 on the pH scale.
The brewing process of coffee causes the release of 9 distinct compounds that are the reason behind the acidic nature of coffee.
How to Reduce Acid in Coffee?
The acidic nature of coffee is not enough to abandon the beloved beverage. After all, we know people who are ready to suffer the consequences rather than give up on their daily morning fix.
For all such people, here’s a list of methods to reduce the acidity of your coffee. Use them; your stomach will thank you later!
- Try Cold Brews
You can have a sweet-tasting coffee with reduced acids by brewing your coffee in advance and using a different method.
Soak the coffee beans in cold water at least overnight. The cold water will prevent the release of oils, leaving your coffee up to 70% less acidic. Thus, cold brews are healthier than a regular cup of coffee.
With some planning and patience, you can reduce the stress on your stomach.
- Control Brewing Temperature
If cold brews are too drastic of a change and you are impatient, controlling the brewing water temperature can help keep your hot brews less acidic.
Just ensure that the water doesn’t reach an extreme boiling temperature that will cause the release of oils. This process doesn’t require preparation ahead of time or long durations of waiting.
- Use Low Acid Coffee Beans
With advancements in science and technology, new variants of seeds and beans are constantly being discovered.
So, get the least acidic coffee beans to make your daily cup of joe healthier for your stomach.
- Add Eggshells to Coffee Grinds
Using basic chemistry, you would know the relationship between acids and bases that results in neutralization.
Add an eggshell or two that have been properly cleaned and are free of raw egg yolks to your coffee grinds. The crumbled eggshell contains calcium that neutralizes the acids in coffee.
- Use Acid Reducers
An acid reducer is exactly what the name suggests. They help reduce the acid in your coffee and keep your stomach healthy.
While they are not common in households, you can get them readily at your nearest coffee shop and online store. This product can help you get rid of 90% of the acidity of your coffee.
- Add a Pinch of Salt to Your Coffee
A pinch can go a long way in reducing the acidity of your coffee. Quite literally, as long as we’re talking about salt.
Salt is basic and easy to find in any household. A small pinch is enough to cut the coffee’s acids.
- Dilute the Beverage
Switching from pure coffee to a greater amount of milk and creamer in your coffee may take care of your acidity problem.
However, it is advised to switch to dark roasts to use this tip.
- Keep Your Coffee Away from Heat
The more heat your coffee is subjected to, the more oil it releases, causing acidity.
Once prepared, consume it immediately. Do not keep it in a thermos or any container that maintains its temperature.
- Add Hard Water
Hard water contains minerals like calcium, which works like the eggshell tip.
It neutralizes the acids in coffee. So, use hard water to brew your coffee to reduce the acidity of coffee.
- Use Filter Paper
The oil of coffee beans is what makes your coffee acidic.
So, using a coffee filter paper will trap the oils and only let the aromatic coffee sans the oil reach your cup.
- Use Finer Coffee Grinds
The finer the grind, the quicker the extraction is.
So, stay away from coarse grinds to reduce the acidity of your coffee, as slower extraction allows more time for the oils to release.
- Reduce the Brew Time
Similar to the above-stated method, shortening the extraction time is critical.
You can do this by giving the coffee grind less time to steep. In this way, the oil cannot reach the coffee extract, reducing its acidity.
- Opt for Dark Roast
Studies show that darker roasts contain slightly less caffeine than light roasts.
Although this alone may not help reduce your acidity problem, combined with some other tips, it can ease your troubles.
- Add Baking Soda to Your Coffee
Similar to salt, this common household pantry item is a great neutralizer.
Adding baking soda to your beverage can cut the acidity of coffee to a large extent.
- Check the Coffee Bean Origin
Keeping track of the origin of your coffee beans is an easy way to reduce your acidity issues.
Avoiding coffee beans grown in volcanic soils is an easy modification as they are known to have higher acidic content.
Which Coffee is Less Acidic?
Low acid coffees are a recent invention that is growing in popularity. It keeps stomach troubles to a minimum while delivering the authentic flavor of the coffee. Coffee sourced from Sumatra, Peru, and Brazil are examples of low acid coffees.
Fabula Coffee’s products are typically sourced from South and Central America, making them great for those suffering from acidity. Similarly, Lifeboost Coffee is another fantastic brand that provides coffees with a pH of 6, which is relatively less acidic than most coffees.
Conclusion
Coffee is a beverage that has benefits and demerits. While it may cause acid reflux and stomach troubles to some, it is a problem that can be quickly resolved by using these uncomplicated tips on how to make coffee less acidic.
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