What is Low Acid Coffee?

Last Updated on April 9, 2022 by Ellen Christian

Have you heard the term low acid coffee? Keep reading to learn more about it and why you should be choosing less acidic coffee when you shop.

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you will know that I am all about getting the best possible cup of coffee. But, I recently learned about reduced acid coffee and wanted to share some information I learned.

What is Low Acid Coffee?

So, the first thing that popped into my head when I heard about coffee that is low acid was “Is coffee acidic?” I honestly had no idea. And, I wasn’t sure why that should matter to me.

But, after a bit of research, I realized that it definitely should matter. So, here’s why.

As coffee is roasted, the chlorogenic acids in coffee degrade and turn into quinic acids. If you’ve ever had a sour feeling in your stomach after drinking coffee, you can blame the quinic acids. 

For people that suffer from IBS, acid reflux or gastric ulcers, low acid coffee may be an option that doesn’t aggravate their symptoms.

How do you find low acid coffee?

One of the challenges with finding coffee with less acid is that it’s not always easy to understand the labels. When you buy a can or bag of ground coffee or whole beans, most don’t give you all that much information about where the beans come from.

The first step is to choose coffee that is from a single origin. You need to know where the coffee beans came from before you can figure out the acid level.

Since low acid coffee has a lot to do with where it’s grown, a roaster should be able to trace it to an exact plot of land. And, that’s only possible with single-origin coffee.

How do you make coffee less acidic?

A lot has to do with the beans but there are things that you can do when you brew your coffee to have a more low acid coffee. One of the first things you can do is to use alkaline water. 

Another thing that you can do is to add milk or cream. The calcium in milk helps neutralize some of the acids in your coffee. 

Does low acid coffee have less caffeine?

If you’re like me, coffee is all about the caffeine. So, I certainly wouldn’t want to have to give up that boost in the morning. Typically, the darker the roast, the less caffeine it contains.

So, a dark roast coffee will usually have less caffeine than a light roast or breakfast roast. But, you can find coffee with less acid in many different roasting varieties.

What about organic coffee?

When I shop, my preference is to buy organic because I feel more confident about the ingredients used. I don’t want to drink coffee that contains chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

So, when you choose organic coffee, it makes the process of finding coffee that’s less acidic much simpler. The soil contains nutrients that add to the value of the coffee beans. And, this results in a smoother cup of coffee with fewer jitters.

Which coffee is least acidic?

You will find all sorts of marketing hype that tells you that brand A or brand B is the least acidic options. But, really when it comes right down to it, third-party data is what you need to look for.

Check the reviews from their customers and see what they have to say. Have they had good luck being able to drink the coffee from the brand you’re considering?

There is no third-party certification when it comes to coffee with less acid. So, the reviews are extremely important.

Java Planet Coffee

Java Planet offers some of the best low acid coffee I’ve tried. Their coffee is single origin and certified organic so you can really understand where your beans come from. 

I love that all of their coffees are organic. And, some are even Fair Trade, Bird Friendly, and Rainforest Alliance.  Their prices are so affordable that I was really surprised. Too many coffee websites make you pay $35 for a bag of beans.

Their coffee is roasted in small batches for the best possible taste.  They have lots of different varieties to choose from including some great options for those looking for coffee with less acid:

• Low acid Columbia organic (medium-dark)

• Bird-friendly Guatemala organic (medium)

• Fair Trade decaf from Peru (medium-dark)

Find out more here.

Related reading

• Understanding pH levels in the body

• How to choose the correct Omega-3 supplement