Written by Menswear Style in Food & Drink on the 2nd March 2021

Has your doctor recently diagnosed you with acid reflux and you feel as though the reflux has come to kill your love for coffee? The worst news to coffee lovers is being asked to stop drinking coffee completely. It can feel devastating. However, you can still enjoy different types of coffee even if you have acid reflux. So, don’t quit coffee just yet. With these simple tricks and tips you can still enjoy coffee if you have acid reflux:

Low Acid Coffee Beans 

While this is not a sure option, it is worth trying. This strategy shall involve you experimenting with different types of coffee beans until you finally discover the coffee brand that does not upset your gastric system. You can explore alternative low acid coffee beans to see what type of coffee has minimal or no reflux effects. Also, remember that not all low acidic coffees are the same because it is a difficult task to fully regulate the level of acidity in one particular coffee bean (Learn more about acid vs acidity in coffee here). After all, the beans come from a natural plant. Check the types of coffee beans that use the swiss water decaffeination strategies, because this method does not involve the use of chemicals to reduce the coffee acidity.

Drink Decaf Coffee 

While many people argue that the real thing must include the caffeine effect, decaf coffee can still benefit you immensely. Decaf coffee has lots of nutrients and many antioxidants. Interestingly, decaf coffee has the same amount of antioxidants as caffeinated coffee, although in some types of coffee they might be lower by fifteen percent. The decaffeination process accounts for this little difference as some antioxidants can be lost during the process of removing caffeine. Like in regular coffee, decaf has polyphenols and hydrocinnamic acids as the main antioxidants. These antioxidants can be effective in neutralising free radicals that are reactive, hence reducing the oxidation damages, and as a result reduce your chances of getting cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. Decaf further has reasonable amounts of nutrients like potassium, niacin, vitamin B3 and magnesium. 

Try Cold Brew Coffee 

Do you love your coffee served hot or do you love it served cold? Whichever your preference is, now that you have acid reflux, cold brew coffee is a better option. Cold brew coffee has lower acidity levels by seventy percent. This can make such a difference for you as an individual with acid reflux. Using cold water to brew coffee as opposed to using hot water results in some chemical changes including reduced levels of acids. Using this strategy, you can still enjoy your different types of coffee roasters. You can also invest in pre-made cold coffee brew bottles as they have an awesome taste too. Cold brewing your coffee means you can enjoy all your favourite beans and worry less about your acid reflux.

Use Alkaline Water 

It can help if you prepare your coffee using alkaline water. You can use the PH scale to test how alkaline your water is before using it to make coffee. Use water with a high PH number as this means it is highly alkaline. Any water with a PH of more than 7 is alkaline and can make a difference if you use it to prepare your cup of coffee. With coffee made from this less acidic water, you reduce your chances of having acid reflux. You can use this technique with your regular coffee beans. 

Buy Specialty Coffee 

While many coffee lovers prefer fancy coffee drinks, specialty coffee is a good option for you if you have acid reflux. These fancy coffees sometimes have extra flavours to improve their tastes. The specialty coffee has natural refreshers and natural green coffee flavours. It can therefore be easier for you to tolerate this type of coffee without experiencing reflux acid discomforts. 

Being diagnosed with acid reflux, should not be the beginning to the end of your love for coffee for the fear that caffeine can worsen your acid reflux complications. You can try taking decaf and other types of coffee that have low acidity levels. Strategies like using alkaline water to prepare your coffee or drinking cold brew can also help reduce the levels of acid in your cup of coffee. With decaf you can still reap all the benefits you would from taking regular coffee except for caffeine.

We recommend low acid coffee beans, decaf coffee, cold brew coffee, alkaline water, and specialty coffee in this blog post which questions whether you Can You Still Enjoy Coffee With Acid Reflux.