To enjoy coffee with GERD, choose low-acid options like dark roasts or cold brew, use non-dairy milk, drink it with food (not on an empty stomach), and limit intake to avoid triggering reflux. Mushroom coffee or chicory blends can also offer a coffee-like experience with less acidity.
Brewing coffee that won't upset your stomach can be easier by opting for darker roasts, adding milk, or trying low-acid varieties. Each of these methods can help reduce stomach irritation while maintaining coffee's beloved flavors.
The same with heartburn symptoms. High-acid coffee can affect your digestive system and cause acid indigestion. There are great options for people that struggle with acid, the best is to stop drinking coffee that is high in acid and limit your coffee consumption to low acid coffees.
Dark roast has the lowest acid. You can also add cleaned eggshells to your coffee grounds. Eggshells are calcium, and the calcium will neutralize the acid in the coffee. Also, look for a finer ground coffee, such as espresso. The finer the grind, the lower the acid.
Adding a pinch of salt, for instance, can neutralize some acids, making your brew easier to digest. Adding milk or non-dairy alternatives might help coat the stomach lining, providing comfort without significantly altering the coffee's flavor profile.
This is linked to a compound called N-methylpyridinium (NMP) that forms during roasting, with higher levels found in darker roasts. So, if you're looking for a coffee that's less likely to cause heartburn, opting for a dark roast could be a good strategy.
3 Ways to Make Your Coffee More Gut Friendly
The 80/20 rule for coffee (Pareto Principle) means 80% of your flavor comes from 20% of the effort, focusing your energy on key variables like fresh, quality beans, proper grind size, good water, and correct ratio, rather than obsessing over every minor detail. It suggests prioritizing high-quality beans and core techniques to get the best flavor, recognizing that superior beans in a decent brew beat average beans in a perfect brew, with the remaining 20% of effort refining the process for a great cup.
Finding the Best Coffee for Your Stomach
The best gut-friendly coffees usually check these boxes: Low-acid, single-origin beans (like Brazil or Sumatra). Medium or dark roast for lower acidity. Air-roasted for balance and smoothness.
Yes, salt in coffee can reduce acidity. Beyond enhancing flavor, salt is a natural buffer to acidity in coffee. While caffeine contributes to bitterness, other compounds like phenylindanes and chlorogenic acid lactones released during roasting contribute to acidity.
The 1-week coffee rule refers to a recommended approach to cutting out coffee, where you gradually reduce your coffee intake over a week.
Coffee and tea – Caffeinated beverages aggravate acid reflux. Opt for teas without caffeine. Carbonated beverages – The bubbles expand in your stomach, creating more pressure and pain. Choose plain water or decaf iced tea.
For this reason, licorice tea is a great coffee alternative for GERD and acid reflux. It's also good for easing digestive symptoms, such as upset stomach, nausea, gas, and bloating.
Medical professionals often advise people with GERD to eliminate certain foods and drinks from the diet, including those with caffeine. However, little scientific evidence links caffeine with the disease. If caffeine seems to aggravate symptoms of GERD, it may be a good idea to avoid it and see if symptoms improve.
If you choose to use an acid reducer, look for options made from all-natural ingredients, which won't affect the flavour of your coffee overall. You can always just add a little milk or cream to your coffee to reduce its acid content, as milk and cream work as acidity neutralizers.
If you're having trouble with acidity, it's often advisable to not drink coffee at all, as hot, black coffee will increase your acid intake with its high pH levels. But if you drink coffee with milk, the milk will counteract and neutralize the effects of the acidity.
Dark roasts
Dark roast coffees tend to be less acidic because they contain fewer compounds that cause stomach cells to produce acid.
How to reduce stomach irritation from coffee
Switch coffee types: If you're a coffee lover, consider switching to decaffeinated, low-acid varieties such as Puroast Coffee. Low-acid options are gentler on the stomach and may reduce symptoms associated with high acidity levels in regular coffees.
Medical experts advise using unsweetened cocoa powder to boost heart health via powerful flavour flavanols. This addition increases nitric oxide production, which relaxes blood vessels and improves overall blood circulation.
The "2-hour coffee rule" suggests waiting 90 minutes to 2 hours after waking up to drink your first cup of coffee to optimize caffeine's effects, avoid interfering with your natural cortisol spike (which peaks shortly after waking), and potentially prevent afternoon energy crashes. This timing allows caffeine to work better when cortisol levels naturally drop and adenosine (the chemical that makes you sleepy) builds up, leading to better focus and alertness later in the day, though individual experiences vary.
The standard “golden ratio” for coffee is 1:16 – that's one part coffee to 16 parts water by weight. For example, if you're using 20 grams of coffee, you'll need 320 grams (or milliliters) of water. This ratio is a great starting point for most brewing methods and balances strength and flavor.
Gastroenterologist Will Bulsiewicz suggests cinnamon, turmeric, and ginger for gut and heart health support. Spicing your coffee with pantry staples is an easy way to boost flavor and support overall wellness.
For some, reducing coffee intake or opting for lower-acid coffee varieties can ease digestive discomfort. Additionally, paying attention to overall dietary habits is crucial, as coffee combined with high-fat or high-sugar foods may lead to signs of an unhealthy gut and exacerbate gut symptoms.
The coffee brewing method that results in the lowest acidity is cold brew. Cold brewing involves steeping coarsely ground coffee beans in cold water for an extended period, we recommend 16 hours for our Cold Brew Blend.