Call it a cup of Joe or a cup of coffee, a large number of coffee consumers might have felt acidity symptoms with drinking coffee at some point of time in their lives.
Does it mean coffee’s poison? No!
But there are things that you have either known wrong or have not known at all.
This post can help you clarify your doubts regarding coffee. I personally know a lot of people who have rejected coffee beans from their lives because they had acidic effects…even if they were the slightest.
Now, let’s just assume you want to bring coffee back to your life. Or you’re about to say ‘no’ to it for eternity. Or you’re someone who is in between. This post can help you out.
No, it is not going to promote coffee. It is just going to bring the truth into light. Hopefully, it will help you make informed choices to buy coffee beans online the next time.
The Most Important Question: Does Coffee Cause Acidity?
Yes, it does. But coffee alone is not responsible for your acidity symptoms. That’s wrong judgement. You already know that coffee has caffeine – a compound found in coffee beans. Caffeine is characterised as a stimulant to the human body.
While it’s stimulating effects are already defined by keeping you up at night (or all night?); caffeine, as a compound, is acidic in nature.
So, Is the Caffeine Causing Acidity or Is there Something Else at Play?
Caffeine is not an acid. But it may produce acidic results when brewed. Now, if your stomach is more acidic, then drinking coffee (or the consumption of caffeine from other beverages or medication) can contribute to the acidity in your stomach. This can create acidity symptoms such as:
- Acid reflux or heartburn (feeling of food travelling back to your throat or food pipe)
- Bloating
- Raised heart rate
- Discomfort
However, there is definitely something different at play. It’s called chlorogenic acid. It is an acid found in coffee beans when you brew them.
Hopefully, you’d want to start blaming it right away for your heartburn issues. However, chlorogenic acid is the reason many people drink coffee. It is healthy for the body because of its antioxidant properties. This acid is found more in Green coffee, which is a healthier variant of coffee. Here are a few health benefits you might expect with green coffee:
- Lowered blood pressure
- Some experiences weight loss drinking green coffee
- Lowered blood sugar
What Causes Acidity by Drinking Coffee Then?
The caffeine might be considered the culprit. But that would be a wrong judgement of the stimulant. Since, chlorogenic acid is not directly connected to the acidic nature of coffee, we can look at how we are drinking it and when we do so. Here are a few reasons your cup of joe might betray your stomach:
- Drinking regular coffee, i.e. coffee with milk, can increase the chances of acidity. Is it true though? You add milk to coffee to reduce its acid level. But milk again is high in fat and that may indirectly produce acidic reactions in your stomach. Besides, what if you are lactose-intolerant?
- The brewing process of coffee increases its acidity. Research has suggested that darker roasts of coffee beans might produce more caffeine; therefore increasing the acidity level. The next time you want to buy coffee beans online, make sure you look for a lighter roast.
- What amount of coffee are you consuming per day? If you’re working in the night-shift or you’re a night owl and you keep on drinking coffee without a limit, then you might expect things from your stomach to come up your food pipe. Caffeine works well as a stimulant in low doses. High levels of caffeine in your bloodstream may result in anxiety; increased heart rate; sleep disorders; restlessness and other issues.
- Adding sugar to coffee does not produce any direct results in the increase of acidity. However, a few people have acidity originating from sugar. In that regard, you can minimise using sugar in your coffee or not use it at all.
Pro Tip: Sometimes, acidity is caused by your food choices. Too much of refined sugar; unhealthy oil or citrus fruits or a sedentary lifestyle can make your acidic symptoms bad, which might then be worsened by caffeine. It is then a better choice to check your food choices and lifestyle to find out the real cause of acidity.
To Conclude: Is Green Coffee the Answer?
Look, Green Coffee is fine when you want to control blood sugar; increase antioxidants in your bloodstream etc. However, since it has more chlorogenic acid and caffeine in it, excessive consumption can surely bring issues such as heartburn; high heart rate and anxiety issues; weakened teeth and bone etc. in your life.
Is the answer a ‘no’ then? Not at all! You can consume Green Coffee but in moderate amounts. Always consult a health professional or your doctor before consuming coffee if you think you’ll need help about it. Overall, a moderate consumption is the key to enjoy coffee and not get worried by it.