Besides the bitterness, sweetness, and aroma, acidity is another indispensable component of coffee. Although the regular cup of coffee is usually less acidic than fruit juice, for those who cannot take too much acidity, the acidity content in coffee is enough to upset their stomach.
The solution to this is low acid coffee. Are you looking for how to make low acid coffee? Without further ado, let’s find out all the details you need to know about the best ways to make low acid coffee now.
Contents
What Is Low Acidic Coffee?
First, we need to find out what acid in coffee is. Acid usually gives coffee its fresh and vibrant flavor. Hence, the fresher the coffee beans are, the more acid and fresher flavor the beans can retain.
Your regular coffee contains about 30 different kinds of acid. Some acids found in coffee are even similar to that of vinegar and citrus. A cup of strong coffee can have a neutral acidity in the pH scale, which may not be too much strain on your stomach. Thus, some acids in coffee can even be beneficial for your body. Chlorogenic acid in coffee can help you lose weight faster. However, the acid that you need to pay attention to is quinic acid which challenges your digestive system.
However, if you are highly sensitive to acid in food, even the neutral acid level in coffee can upset your stomach. In fact, the acid in coffee can give you severe side effects like heartburn or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Thus, many people might find the fresher and more acidic taste in their coffee unappealing.
How To Make Low Acid Coffee? (Type of coffee beans)
The acid plays an important part in shaping the flavor profile of coffee and removing the acid from your coffee may make it taste bland and flat. Hence, acid is essential for the balance and distinctive taste of coffee. Thus, since not all acids in coffee are bad for your digestive system, you should not seek to remove all of them. Hence, the good way to make coffee more bearable to your stomach is to reduce the acidity level in coffee. With that being said, here are some ways of making regular low acid coffee that you can follow easily.
- Opt for lower-acid coffee beans: Lower-acid coffee beans will make your cup of daily coffee less acidic. One thing to keep in mind is that coffee from low elevation has a lower acidity level than coffee from higher elevation. Thus, the soil on which your coffee is grown can also add to the acidity in your coffee, so you should carefully look at the sourcing and production information of your coffee. You can also try coffee from different regions to find the coffee that has the right acidity for you. Since the soil of each region is different, the acidity level of the coffee may vary accordingly. Hence, the key is to know your coffee inside out.
- Opt for Abrica beans: Another good option for lower acid coffee beans is Arabica beans. If looking at how the coffee is grown and the soil texture of each region is too much work for you, you can simply rely on Abrica beans. While the Robusta beans can result in stronger coffee with a higher acidity level, Abrica beans give you much milder coffee that puts no strain on your digestive system.
- Make sure that your coffee extraction is proper: After finding the right beans, you need to pay attention to the brewing process since over-extraction or under-extraction can make you end up with coffee that has higher acidity content. Since the right extraction depends on your grind size and the brewing method, you should make sure that you follow the brewing recipe carefully to have the best result.
- Consider adding milk or cream to your coffee: Adding milk or cream can add calories and substance to your coffee while reducing the coffee’s staining power. Moreover, the component in milk can balance out the pH level in your coffee and reduce the acidity level immediately. You should add whole milk or a splash of cream to your coffee for the best result and much more delicious-tasting coffee. If you opt for plant-based milk, be careful because the components in plant-based milk can work with the acid in the coffee to curdle. Hence, plant-based milk might not be a good addition to coffee that has a higher acidity level than normal.
- Add a little bit of salt to your coffee: This method may sound unusual. Yet, a bit of salt during the brewing process can work wonders in reducing the acidity level of your coffee. Thus, salt can even make the sweetness in your coffee shine much better. Yet, the key here is the amount of salt added to your coffee. A little bit of salt is enough, so don’t add too much salt, or else you may end up with off-tasting coffee.
FAQs
Does decaf coffee has lower acidity?
Since extracting caffeine from coffee also eliminates the phenolic acid content in the coffee, decaf coffee will end up being less acidic compared to normal coffee. If your regular coffee gives you heartburn, switching to decaf coffee is a great option to get rid of this side effect.
Does decaf coffee have acidity?
Yes, decaf coffee does have acid. Yet, as stated above, since a part of the acidity level is removed with caffeine in decaf coffee, decaf coffee will make a good low acid coffee. Hence, if you want a low acid coffee and do not mind the lack of caffeine, decaf coffee is the way to go.
Is dark roast coffee less acidic?
Lighter roast tends to result in higher acidity content in coffee. Since acidity gives your coffee a fresh flavor and is usually found in coffee beans that undergo a shorter roasting process, dark roast coffee has a darker flavor due to a longer roasting process and a lower acidity level. However, compared to other types of roast, dark roasts can have a higher level of quinic acid that may not sit well with your stomach. If you are sensitive to this type of acid, dark roast coffee may not make a good option for low acid coffee.
Is decaf coffee good for acid reflux?
Research shows that decaf coffee can help with acid reflux and heartburn. Hence, the answer is yes, decaf coffee is good for acid reflux.
Conclusion
Now you have learned some of the best ways about how to make low acid coffee conveniently at your own home. If the acidity level in coffee troubles your stomach and makes you struggle, you should definitely try out our methods below. Although opting for the right coffee and making sure that your coffee is brewed in the right way can be tedious at first, these tips can help you enjoy your coffee much better. Hence, you should apply them to your coffee routine to make the best out of your daily coffee and make great low-acid coffee.
