Is Decaf Coffee Less Acidic Than Regular? 4 Insightful Facts

Ordinary coffee inherits it’s acidity during the roasting process, and according to healthline different roasting durations and temperature leads to different levels of acidity.

It’s no wonder most of us experience what is known as GERD or heartburn and can be seen as a common problem associated with the acidity that regular coffee produces.

Here at caffeinated face we’ve been coffee lovers since before time, we would usually drink any type of coffee just to make our day complete. 

But as our age goes by, it's better to find a coffee that is suitable for our health. Nowadays, many people enjoy a daily coffee but on the same hand, they would want to limit their caffeine intake for health reasons or even preferences.

This study by the Brazilian Archives of Biology concluded that decaf coffee is less acidic than regular coffee and also has less antioxidants as well.

So in summary, yes Decaf coffee is less acidic than regular coffee and it can be very beneficial to you if you’re suffering from sore stomachs, reflux, or even have a seriously bad case of the coffee jitters from time to time.

Is decaf better for acid reflux?

To cut to the chase, decaf coffee can be considered a good alternative to regular coffee to control acid reflux.

According to WebMD, Acid reflux can be considered when the valve that controls the contents of your stomach fails to keep the food in.

As a result, acid from the stomach creeps through the esophagus and into your throat, causing that burning sensation.

Many foods, including ordinary coffee can lead to this disease but it can be controlled by not having highly acid foods.

This is when many decide that they can’t go without coffee, they switch to a decaffeinated alternative instead which will help with their symptoms.

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Alleviating Regular Coffee Symptoms

Symptoms won’t disappear altogether, but instead will alleviate from time to time and it is recommended to see a registered doctor to help with your acid reflux problem overall.

So, to be honest, caffeinated coffee might not have a higher concentration of acid compared to decaffeinated ones however, decaf coffee may be far better for those who are usually sensitive to acid reflux.

The main reason usually is that caffeine can trigger your stomach to produce more acid. basically, for those who are having struggles with acid reflux, decaf may be a healthier alternative for your body needs.

Decaf that usually undergoes the proper water process is the best option for low acidity. It eliminates the caffeine safely and thoroughly, without the influence of bad chemicals.

The main concern is that the better option for your stomach. If you feel that you have a sensitive stomach or you had any experience suffering from acid reflux, then we might have a problem.

If you feel that you have a sensitive stomach, the acid in large quantities could cause some damage to your stomach or much worse produce excess acid and would result in acid reflux.

If you are aware and concerned about this, then products with low acid are the best way to in order for you not to stop enjoying coffee.

Also, we would recommend a cold brew method since it would less likely produce acid compared to hot water.

Is decaf coffee inflammatory?

Come to think of it, when it comes to ingredients that can create an anti-inflammatory diet, a regular hot cup of coffee doesn't usually come to our thoughts.

Let's be transparent here, usually, inflammation can be an advantage. If a threat which is a potential enters our body, there goes the immune system that uses inflammation to protect.

However, chronic, low-grade inflammation, the typical type that comes from usual lifestyle choices like excessive drinking, smoking, being a foodie by eating a lot of processed food which is connected to heart disease, some types of cancer and much worse, diabetes!

Does decaf coffee cause less heartburn?

There can be a few reasons why coffee has a contribution to heartburn and why usual consumption of coffee can direct to severe problems.

Let me start with this one, your daily cup of coffee relaxes your muscles at your upper stomach, which is known to be your esophageal sphincter.

The muscles u function is to tightly close off in order to prevent stomach acid from piling up into your esophagus.

Secondly, the reason why your regular cup of coffee can cause heartburn because it has to do with the chemical ingredients of the coffee itself. The tannins in coffee are the prime suspect to cause GERD.

While tannins are popularly known as a very powerful antioxidant, they can also be incredibly acidic and would lead to the start of unavoidable heartburn or GERD.

The chemical is found in large quantities found in wines, teas, and of course your favorite coffee. The caffeine in our coffee is not actually known to be responsible for heartburn.

It is difficult to identify, honestly. for some cases, well, it might but not 100% sure to help reduce the symptoms of heartburn.

The decaf coffee still contains caffeine, not to mention tannic acid which was held to be responsible in some cases for the symptoms connected to heartburn and acid reflux.

Recommended Article: Does Decaf coffee Dehydrate you?

Final Thoughts

Decaf coffee beans are usually washed in solvents to reduce up to97% of the caffeine content before the method of roasting.

Except for the caffeine found in coffee, we have the value of decaf coffee which is nutritional and should be almost (by 95%) identical to regular coffee.

So while you have a swap to decaf coffee, it won't hurt. You might even find out that it is the best alternative. You can put your money likely to avoid coffee altogether to avoid having heartburn and from becoming debilitating.

Despite all those positive results about the health benefits of taking a daily cup of coffee, there will always be a downside which is the side effects. For individuals who are sensitive, it can also irritate your digestive system and your prostate.

Oh well, If you experience any of these mentioned symptoms, I'll be honest with you, you're better off avoiding a cup of coffee everyday.

Even decaf that contains substances and in the long run contributes to the side effects that we will regret in the future.

Better keep in mind that coffee could be and have much higher addictive potential compared to other caffeinated beverages.

Now that you know these, I hope you'll have a change in lifestyle and selection of coffee. Trust me, the pain of regret is permanent.