Does coffee upset your stomach? You’re in good company: over 1/3 of Americans struggle with symptoms of acid reflux and GERD, digestive disorders that cause heartburn, upset stomachs, swelling in the esophagus and other types of discomfort. I’m one of them, too.
And, one of the first things that you’ll be told to do if you want to reduce these symptoms is cut caffeinated beverages like coffee.
Yeah, right. *eye roll*
I’ll do a lot of things, but cutting my coffee is not one of them!
But, is there a way to enjoy your coffee without the painful side effects? Yes, yes there is, friends.
Spoiler alert: it’s time to try low acid coffee.
What Is Low Acid Coffee?
I’ve been experimenting recently with different types of coffees and preparation methods in order to find the best way to make coffee that doesn’t flare up my acid reflux and cause heartburn.
One of the brands that kept coming up in my research was Lifeboost coffee. Always up to try a new coffee, I placed my order and hoped for the best.
I figured at a minimum, it seemed like a super clean, highly rated coffee that would probably taste pretty good. They have super high standards for how they grow and ferment their coffee beans, which helps create their smooth, lower acid coffee.
Combined with some of our tips below, I thought I had a pretty good chance of enjoying my coffee without the negative side effects. After trying it for a few weeks, I joined the affiliate program so I can share it with you. If you choose to try it through my link, you’ll get a discount of up to 50% and I’ll receive a small commission for referring you.
The Making of Low Acid Coffee:
Lifeboost beans are grown slowly in the shade and then hand-picked and fermented for 26 hours. No pesticides are ever used and then the beans are spring water washed and sun-dried until they have a humidity content of 11.5%. After that, they are allowed to rest for 30 days before being bagged and shipped.
Plus, Lifeboost has their beans 3rd party tested for mycotoxins, heavy metals, pesticides and over 400 other toxins. So, these beans are clean, clean, clean.
In addition, Lifeboost is fairly traded with sustainable farming practices. I love supporting ethical companies that improve the lives of their workers and the communities where their product is made.
Does Low Acid Coffee Make a Difference?
We’ve been drinking this low acid coffee for a few weeks and both coffee drinkers in the house have noticed a difference, and one of us doesn’t have any known acid reflux issues.
Typically, I’ll be the one that notices if something is better or worse on the stomach, because I get heartburn and an upset stomach very easily. But this time – we both have noticed a difference. Somehow, this coffee is just gentler on the stomach, especially when prepared with the pour over and paper filters (see below).
I made a mistake when I ordered and only got 3 bags of the light roast ground. When we order again, we want to try medium and a dark roast beans, so we can grind them right before we use them. The light roast is nice and light – but not as full-bodied as we typically like. I do tend to prefer lighter and blonde roasts myself, so I actually really like it, but being able to compare it to other roasts would be good, too.
How To Brew Low Acid Coffee:
This is the fun part. You can brew whatever coffee beans you like in a way that can help reduce the acidity. Here are some tips:
- Cold brew your coffee. This slow brewing method using room temperature water creates a smoother coffee that is easier on the stomach.
- Use a pour over coffee maker. The combination of a paper filter and the slower brewing method has a similar result as cold brew in less time. See our beginner’s guide to pour over here.
- Add milk if you can. When adding milk, some of the milk proteins bind to the chlorogenic acids, reducing their ability to to be absorbed by the body, causing stomach issues and acid to increase.
- Use paper filters. Supposedly, they absorb some of the extracted acids.
- Avoid using a french press, since the water comes into direct contact with the grounds.
For me, I find the best success with a combination of low acid coffee beans and my pour over coffee maker that uses a paper filter. I also really like making cold brew coffee for the week and storing it in the fridge. Super easy!
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Have you tried low acid coffee or any of these steps to reducing the effects of coffee on your acid reflux or stomach? If not, check out Lifeboost and get a great discount on your first order.
Lifeboost isn’t the only way to get lower acid coffee. If you’re short on time, you might love this ultra concentrated coffee that you can add to water or milk. It’s super pure as well, lightning fast to make and also really smooth and easy on the stomach. Read about Jot here.
I hope some of these tips help you have your coffee and drink it, too. If you love the coffee mug in the photos, you can find it here.
Get roasted,
A
