Is Coffee Acidic Or Alkaline

Is Coffee Acidic Or Alkaline?

Last updated on May 20th, 2024 at 12:01

The question is coffee acidic or alkaline is a question that is easily answered. Being one that doesn’t like to drag the answer out and if you are in a rush for it, here it is:

Coffee is acidic.

If you are a coffee lover and suffer from GERD or some condition that means you must enjoy a more alkaline or a less acidic diet the good news is that there is a lot that you can do to reduce the acidity of your coffee.

Keep reading for a more detailed answer and some simple tips on how to reduce the acidity of your coffee.

Is Coffee Acidic Or Alkaline?

The acidity of coffee is determined by the pH scale and ranges from 0 to 14, with measurements of 0 to 6 being considered as acidic, 7 is neutral and 8 to 14 as alkaline.

All coffee varieties are acidic with an average pH of 4.85 to 5.10 with Arabica being the least acidic. The acidity of coffee is a very complex issue and various factors can increase or decrease the acidity of your coffee including the variety, roast, and even the brewing process, brew time, grind size and the type of coffee beverage.

There are 9 principle acids in coffee, some of which, like chlorogenic acid, to name but one, have great health properties due to being a powerful antioxidant.

The other main acids are:

  • Quinic acid.
  • Citric acid.
  • Lactic acid.
  • Malic acid.
  • Phosphoric acid.
  • Linolic acid.
  • Palmitic acid.

Don’t let these acids in coffee put you off, unless of course you suffer from GERD, as these acids have properties that are good for your health. How these acids are released are related to the roast and brewing process and contributes to the flavor profile.

The only thing we can do to control the release of the acids from coffee beans is the brewing process and grind size.

Is Coffee Acidic
Coffee Is Acidic

Read: How to make low acid coffee

Grind size

It may surprise you to find out that the grind size of your coffee grounds can affect the acidity of your coffee. The smaller the grind size, the greater the surface area that is in contact with your water, which can lead to more of the acids being extracted during the brewing process, which leads to a more acidic cup of coffee.

Brewing

How you brew your coffee affects the acidity of your coffee. Hot coffee is more acidic than cold brewing method and thus if you want a coffee that is less acidic, make a cold-brewed coffee

Brew time also has an effect on the acidity of your cup of coffee. Shorter brew times have a tendency to have a higher acidity and longer brewing times have a reduced acidity. This also has a relationship with the type of coffee and the grind size as a smaller grind size needs a shorter brewing time due to the larger surface area.

The Roast

The roast has a determining factor in how acidic your coffee is. Unfortunately this is not something that you have direct control over, but you can buy darker roasts as dark-roasted coffee has a reduced acidity when compared to lighter roasts like a blonde roast.

In all essence, the hotter coffee beans are roasted and the longer they are roasted, the less chlorogenic acid is present. If you want a lower acid coffee and can’t find one in your local store, look for a dark roast coffee.

Is Decaf Coffee Acidic Or Alkaline

Decaffeinated coffee is acidic no matter what the process to remove the caffeine was, be it the carbon dioxide process or the better Swiss water process. Decaf coffee is less acidic than regular caffeinated coffee.

During the process of removing the caffeine from the coffee beans, a degree of the phenolic acid is lost, which means it is slightly less acidic.

Reducing the acidity you can also consider low caffeine coffee as caffeine stimulates the production of acids in yoru stomach and thus reducing your caffeine intake by reduced caffeine coffee like decaffeinated coffee reduced the probability of acid reflux.

This is the benefit of decaf coffee, even though they are still acidic. The low caffeine content means your stomach is not provoked to produce more stomach acids.

Is Decaf Coffee Acidic Or Alkaline
Decaf Coffee Is Acidic

Read: How to make coffee less acidic with baking soda

Is Instant Coffee Acidic Or Alkaline?

Yes, instant coffee is still acidic and is not advisable for people with GERD or acid reflux.

However, is slightly less acidic than coffee beans or coffee beans due to some acids being lost during their processing.

Does Cinnamon Reduce Acid In Coffee?

Yes, cinnamon has the beneficial effect of reducing the acidity in coffee. It’s not only an antacid, it has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and doesn’t have an effect on the overall aroma or flavor of coffee.

A dash of cinnamon in a dark roasted cold brew coffee will help you to naturally get a cup of coffee that is low in acid without purchasing an expensive low acid brand of coffee.

What Is The pH Of Coffee With Milk

Black coffee is more acidic than coffee with milk. This is simply basic science, black coffee has a pH of 5 and milk a pH of 6, although still acidic it is still less acidic than black coffee. By adding milk to black coffee it will have a neutralizing effect and reduce the acidity.

If you can’t tolerate the acids in coffee, you can consider adding milk or other calcium products that will help to reduce the acidity. Dairy milk, alternate milk can help just as well because it is the calcium in milk that has the neutralizing effect.

If acid reflux is a problem, add cinnamon and calcium in some form to a low caffeine, dark roasted cold brew.

Is Tea Acidic Or Alkaline?

Most teas are mildly acidic and less acidic than regular coffee, green tea, black tea, Earl Grey, but there are some teas that have a higher acidity than coffee and will not aid your GERD or acid reflux problems.

Regardless, tea is acidic and not alkaline.

Frequently Asked Questions About Is Coffee Acidic Or Alkaline

Coffee is acidic and will have the effect of elevating the acidity of your body. Drinking a cup of coffee causes your body to create more gastric acid. It’s not a problem for most people but will be problematic for people that suffer GERD.

The easiest way of making your coffee less acidic is by adding milk or cream to your cup of coffee. You can also add a bicarbonate of soda.

Coffee is less acidic than lemon tea but both black and green tea are less acidic than a regular cup of coffee. Generally, coffee is more acidic than a cup of tea.

Low acid coffee is popular, here are some of the coffees with a low acidity that you can seek out and try:

  • Lifeboost Coffee.
  • Caffe Vita Organic Sumatra Gayo River.
  • Volcanica Coffee Low Acid Coffee Blend.
  • Hawaiian Kona by Volcanica Coffee.
  • Tiemans’s Fusion Coffee.

Arabica coffee is less acidic than Robusta Coffee, and dark roasts are less acidic than lighter roasts and thus, without any alteration, a dark roasted arabica bean will be the least acidic.

This is without searching for specific non or low acidity beans. The coffee beverage that is least acidic is cold brew coffee and thus a cold brew coffee made with dark roasted arabica beans is the coffee beverage that is the least acidic.

What Coffee Has No Acid In It?

Tylers non-acid organic ground coffee is a pH neutral coffee that is neither acidic nor alkaline and is ideal if you are on a low acid diet.

Final Thoughts – Is Coffee Acidic Or Alkaline?

The question posed, is coffee acidic or alkaline has been answered in detail above. If you skimmed down looking for an answer here it is again – it’s acidic.

Thankfully there are steps that you can take to reduce the acidity without compromising the taste and quality of your cup of coffee.

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Derek Marshall, a certified barista by the Specialty Coffee Association possesses over two decades of experience in specialty coffee shops. He holds professional certifications for coffee brewing and barista skills. Derek is also an author with authoritative books covering various coffee topics including specialty coffee, sustainability and coffee, coffee brewing, coffee recipes, coffee cocktails and books focusing on Brazilian coffee, Vietnamese coffee, Indonesian coffee and Malaysian coffee. As a barista for over two decades, Derek Marshall has worked in specialty coffee shops across the United Kingdom, Spain, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. His expertise extends to the distinct coffee cultures, specialty beverages, and brewing techniques of each nation. Functioning as a coffee consultant, Derek charges US$50 per hour. To learn more about Derek Marshall and Latte Love Brew, visit his About Me Page. For coffee inquiries, contact him at +34-639-410-375 or Derek@LatteLoveBrew.com, mentioning your name and location

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