You may be a coffee lover, but if you struggle with gastrointestinal issues or acid reflux, you may find yourself searching for low acid coffee options. Here's how to gauge the acidity in regular and decaf coffee, and how to choose what works best for you.
Tip
While regular coffee naturally has higher levels of acidity, decaf coffee can still contain small amounts. That being said, start incorporating decaf coffee into your diet if you love the taste but want to reduce stomach aggravation.
Health Benefits of Coffee
There have been countless studies examining the potential health benefits of caffeinated coffee, and overall, the consensus is positive. Drinking coffee moderately every day has been associated with alonger lifespan,according toHarvard Health. Drinking a cup or two of joe a day has also been shown to reduce heart disease risk, type 2 diabetes and Parkinson's disease, among other ailments.
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Coffee does contain different types of acid, or a substance with a pH lower than seven, including citric acid, malic acid and chlorogenic acids. For coffee brewers,acidity in coffeeis actually considered a good thing, and it's even been linked to higher levels of antioxidants.
An October 2018 study published inScientific Reportsexamined the difference in acidity between cold brew and hot brew coffee and found that while cold brew coffee had lower acid levels, it also had lower antioxidant levels.
The Deal With Decaf
Decaf coffee, meanwhile, is coffee that's had the majority of its caffeine extracted through either the Swiss Water method or organic chemical solvents. A very small fraction of caffeine remains in decaf but certainly not enough to get you as awake as regular coffee.
Decaf has lower acidity than regular coffee — and a February 2014 study published in巴西生物学和技术档案found decaf hadlower levels of antioxidantsas well.
While there has been plenty of evidence to support the health benefits of caffeinated coffee, the link isn't so clear when it comes to decaf. But there has been some research showing decaf can actually have someprotective benefits for your health.
A February 2019 study published inRedox Biologyfound that decaf coffee actually helped protect mice against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). And a February 2014 study published inDiabetes Carefound that both decaf and regular coffee helped reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Effects on Your Stomach
You may have heard of the coffee acid reflux myth, but it turns out it's more fact than fiction. If you have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)or acid reflux, and the acid in coffee may add on to theacid already in your body. Or it's possible that caffeine might simplymake you anxious. In that case, you might want to search out low acid coffee — and decaf may be a good option.
Decaf can be healthier for you than caffeinated coffee if the latter causes problems for you. According to theCleveland Clinic, decaf is considered safe for those who wish to be on the GERD diet, as it's less likely to cause issues in your stomach.
Read more:Can Drinking Coffee Cause Diarrhea?
Fine Tune Your Coffee Intake
The takeaway is to gauge how your stomach might react to regular coffee versus low acid coffee. If you love the energy from caffeine but your stomach feels bothered afterwards, whether that's from heartburn or overall discomfort, you may need to start incorporatingdecafinto your daily schedule.
Not only will decaf reduce the acidity you're ingesting, but it can also help you wean yourself off regular coffee, according to an April 2016 study published in theJournal of Psychopharmacology. And it may just provide you with that delicious taste of coffee you love.
- Harvard Health Publishing: "The Latest Scoop on the Health Benefits of Coffee"
- Scientific Reports: "Acidity and Antioxidant Activity of Cold Brew Coffee"
- 巴西生物学和技术档案: "Stability of Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Capacity of Regular and Decaffeinated Coffees"
- Redox Biology: "Consumption of Decaffeinated Coffee Protects Against the Development of Early Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis: Role of Intestinal Barrier Function"
- Diabetes Care: "Caffeinated and Decaffeinated Coffee Consumption and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and a Dose-Response Meta-analysis"
- Cleveland Clinic: "Lifestyle Guidelines for the Treatment of GERD"
- Journal of Psychopharmacology: "Placebo Caffeine Reduces Withdrawal in Abstinent Coffee Drinkers"