You can enjoy coffee without any of the unpleasant side effects by making a few minor adjustments to your coffee preparation.
You can reduce the acidity of coffee using the tips in this article.
What Is Coffee Acidity?
The term “acidity” refers to the tangy and sharp flavors of coffee, which are frequently referred to as citrusy, bright, or fruity. Along with sweetness, bitterness, and body, it is one of the key elements of coffee’s flavor.
Low-acid coffee is coffee that has a lower pH level & is less acidic than regular coffee.
Due to the presence of some organic acids in the coffee beans, coffee is naturally acidic. These acids give coffee its unique taste and help the bean as a whole be complex and well-balanced.
The kind of coffee beans used, the degree of roasting, and the brewing technique can all have a significant impact on how acidic a coffee will taste.
What's the Best Way to Reduce Acidity in Coffee
The best way to reduce the acidity in coffee is adding eggshells to the coffee grounds before brewing.
What Is the Cause of Acidic Coffee?
Some of the main causes of the acidic taste in coffee are overly hot brewing water, acidic coffee flavorings, and excessive consumption of caffeine.
If the water is too hot, the acids that the coffee beans make will be higher.
Use water that is between 195 and 205 F or lower to prevent an acidic taste.
The difference between this and the water’s boiling point is about 6 degrees.
If you’re using an electric kettle, think about choosing one that doesn’t boil but instead tops out at 195 F.
The use of acidic coffee flavorings, like creamers, is another thing that makes coffee taste acidic.
Although they frequently contain vanilla extract, these flavors may also contain other acids that give your coffee an acidic taste.
Use unsweetened cream-based coffees to stay away from this problem.
Lastly, and this is the most difficult, if you want to make your coffee less acidic, then reduce caffeine consumption.
There are conflicting studies on moderate amounts of caffeine consumption, but drinking too much may give you an upset stomach or other acid-related problems.
If your coffee is always too acidic, you might want to cut down on how much caffeine you drink and use a water filter to get rid of any chlorine in your water supply.
How to Make Coffee Less Acidic
Let’s now discover some quick ways to reduce acidity in your coffee:
Use Water That Is Not Too Hot
If your coffee is overly acidic, consider reducing the temperature of the water.
Water that is too hot extracts coffee from the grounds more quickly, which leads to over-extraction. This is what gives coffee its bitter taste.
Consider Organic Coffee Beans
It is best to stick with organic coffee if you have specific flavor preferences.
These have very little acidity because they were grown without the use of damaging insecticides and chemical fertilizers.
Look for suppliers that offer naturally occurring additives to further reduce the acidity of the beans after roasting or use beans that have no additives at all.
Add A Pinch of Salt
Add salt to your coffee to reduce its acidity.
Adding salt to coffee reduces the acidity and balances the flavor profile.
Use Filtered Water
Reduce the chlorine content of your water if you want to lessen the acidic flavor of your coffee.
Tap water contains chlorine. Chlorine is the standard way to kill germs in water, but it can also upset sensitive stomachs and make you feel sick or have indigestion.
Use Less Coffee
Using less coffee reduces how strong the coffee is. This reduces the acidity.
If you are not into espresso drinks that are strong and rich in flavor, then try decaffeinated or flavored coffees.
You can also brew more than one cup of coffee at a time; this will dilute the acidity if it is too strong for you.
Add Water
Instead of sugar, milk, or cream, try using ice to reduce the acidic aftertaste. It reduces the temperature and the pH balance. The acidity in coffee is reduced through dilution.
You should be aware that sugar slightly raises acidity. Therefore, even though you may be hiding the taste of the coffee, your sensitive stomach won’t be pleased.
Add Eggshells
Thoroughly wash 1 egg shell, crush it, and mix it with your coffee grounds. The shell from 1 egg is good for 4 cups of coffee. Add the crushed egg to the coffee grounds before brewing.
Since calcium is acidity’s worst enemy, you must think of every possible way to add calcium to your coffee without changing the flavor when trying to reduce its acidity.
Why are eggshells effective? They contain a lot of calcium, an alkaline mineral that acts as a base to balance the acidic elements in your coffee.
Additionally, your body will naturally absorb the surplus calcium and provide you with a day’s worth of supplements.
Reduce the Brewtime
Try brewing your coffee for less time if it leaves a strong acidic aftertaste.
Many drip coffee makers offer the pre-brew option, allowing you to quickly change the machine’s timer to meet your needs.
Consider a manual coffee brewer, such as an Aeropress or French press. They are affordable and offer a better-tasting cup than most coffee makers on the market.
Use a Paper Filter
If you’re using a reusable mesh filter basket, then consider switching to paper filters.
Paper filters trap fats and oils. Acids in these oils will change the way your brew tastes, so catching them in the filter gets rid of the things that make your brew acidic.
Additionally, paper filters will capture sediment, resulting in a smoother brew.
Try Cold Brew Method
Making coffee using the cold brew method greatly reduces the acidity. It also naturally increases the sweetness.
Cold brew coffee is also simple to make. Simply place your coffee grounds in an airtight, tightly closed container.
Check out this post for the exact ratio & more tips.
Which Type of Coffee Has the Lowest Amount of Acidity?
Compared to Robusta beans, Arabica beans have a lower acid content.
Even less acid is present in green coffee beans than in roasted Arabica and Robusta green beans.
Also, natural coffees that are grown organically and aren’t treated with pesticides or artificial fertilizers tend to have much less acid and a sweeter taste and quality than those that are grown with pesticides and artificial fertilizers.
Benefits of Drinking A Less Acidic Cup of Coffee
Reduces Bladder Issues
When urinating, you might feel a burning sensation if you have bladder problems. One explanation could be that the acids in your urine are irritating your bladder and making urinating painful.
On the other hand, if you drink less acidic coffee, which should also result in less acidity in your urine, you should notice the burning sensation go away.
For your general health, lowering the acidity of your coffee has many advantages. Among these advantages are:
Decreases Heartburn
The rinse that forms when you eat or drink acidic foods or drinks can cause heartburn or even damage your esophagus or stomach if you drink coffee.
Less Stomach Issues
Acidic drinks like coffee, water, and soda can damage the lining of your digestive tract or even make it more difficult to digest large amounts of food, which can lead to stomach issues.
You’ll notice that you can digest these foods more easily after consuming them if you switch to a less acidic drink, like water, coffee, or tea.
Final Words on Decreasing the Acidity of Coffee
You must realize that you can lessen the amount of acidity in your coffee by making minor changes to the way you roast, brew, or consume it.
Your coffee will taste sweeter and have a more complex flavor profile if you follow the advice in this guide.
Buying low-acid coffee beans also helps.
We hope that these tips and recommendations will help you make the best coffee possible for you and your family.
