Is your coffee habit hurting you?
Nearly three-quarters of Americans drink coffee every day, and for some, that daily pleasure comes with a side of pain.
If your java habit is messing with your stomach, it’s worth noting that not every cup of joe is created equal. and there are some choices you can make to cut down on side effects.
The health benefits of coffee are well established; studies have revealed that regular coffee drinkers have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. Coffee consumption has also been linked to improved metabolic rate, mental alertness, physical performance, and a longer life span.
Coffee is a rich source of antioxidants, compounds that protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. Antioxidants in coffee, such as polyphenols and catechins, neutralize free radicals, reducing inflammation and the risk of cellular damage.
Yet, the brew is not without its bad news: While half of Americans say a good cup of coffee is “powerful” enough to make their day, and one in five consider it better than sex, drinking it has long been associated with indigestion, heartburn, acid reflux and other gastrointestinal symptoms.
Acid reflux is a condition in which acid from the stomach flows back into the esophagus. Heartburn is the burning sensation in the chest caused by acid reflux.
“Chronic acid reflux over time can cause symptoms such as a burning or bitter taste in the mouth, sore throat, chronic cough, hoarse voice, ear pain, asthma-like symptoms or even non-cardiac chest pain,” Dr. Mark Pochapin, the Sholtz-Leeds Professor of Medicine and director of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at NYU Langone Health, told The Post.
Yet there is hope for bean enthusiasts as specific roasts and preparations are easier on the heart and esophagus.
Dark roasts
According to a recent survey, most coffee drinkers prefer a medium roast (54%), with a dark roast the preferred alternative (28%) — only 10% said a light roast was their favorite.
Roasting darkens beans and effectively burns off many of the antioxidants they contain.
But while darker roasts contain less antioxidants than their lighter counterparts, they are decidedly less acidic. For those prone to reflux and are thus looking to decrease their acidic intake, a dark or medium roast might be the best bean for the body.
Cold brew
As the name implies, cold brew is made from a low-temperature, long-contact brewing method where coffee grounds are steeped in cold or room-temperature water for 12-24 hours to achieve a smoother kind of cup.
Because of this process and the colder water used, brewing extracts fewer acids and oils from the beans, resulting in less acidic coffee. This makes it a better choice for those with acid reflux.
However, cold brew also contains fewer antioxidants than hot brewed coffee because high water temperatures help release those compounds from the grounds.
Decaf
While many a coffee drinker would choose death before decaf, the latter is a better bet for those with acid reflux.
That’s because caffeine is thought to be an aggravating factor, so decaf — which still had some caffeine, but less than fully caffeinated coffee — will do less damage.
Low-acid coffees
Lately, there’s been quite a buzz (pun intended) about low-acid coffees as a viable option for acid-reflux sufferers.
Low-acid coffees utilize a conduction roasting method. Convection or “flash” roasting, the most commonly used process to roast coffee beans, typically takes less than ten minutes. In contrast, conduction roasting can take more than three or four hours at a lower temperature, resulting in so-called low-acid coffee.
Low-acid refers not to stomach acid but chlorogenic acid. During the long roasting process, more chlorogenic acid is destroyed. However, chlorogenic acid is a powerful antioxidant that functions as “anti-diabetic, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory and anti-obesity.”
A recent study found that despite claims to the contrary, low-acid coffee provided no benefit to those suffering from heartburn, regurgitation, and/or stomach upset.
“We conclude that differences in the coffee bean roasting process do not result in marked differences in coffee-induced upper gastrointestinal symptoms,” researchers noted.
Beyond the beans, acid-reflux sufferers can limit the adverse effects of coffee by limiting their intake, only drinking coffee with or after meals, reducing the amount of cream and sugar added to coffee, and using paper rather than a metal filter, as paper traps more acids during the brewing process.
