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You are here: Home / Tea / The Acid in tea vs Coffee

The Acid in tea vs Coffee

Tea · November 8, 2022

What's On This Page

  • Is tea acidic?
    • How to lower the acid of tea?
  •         Is black tea acidic?
  •         Is green tea alkaline or acidic?
  • Is coffee acidic
    • How to lower the acidity of your coffee
  • the pH of tea with milk
  • the pH of coffee with milk
  • Which is less acidic tea or coffee
  • Acidity in green tea VS coffee

Both tea and coffee are acidic. Coffee is generally more acidic than tea. However, some teas are more acidic than coffee. Acidic tea and coffee affect acid reflux. If you are suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease that causes acid reflux, do not drink tea, coffee, acidic drinks, and other acidic foods. 

What determines the acid in tea is the environment where it came from, soil type, and more factors. There are ways to reduce acid in tooth tea and coffee. That is what this article is about. 

Is tea acidic?

Tea is acidic but not more than coffee. What determines its acidity is the pH scale. Tea is neutral or below. Although most teas are mildly acidic, some are as low as 3. Home-brewed teas are not as acidic as fruit juices and other drinks. The acid does not damage your teeth much. 

However, the damage depends on the type of tea, how you drink tea, how often you drink tea, and what you add to your tea. The more acidic a tea tastes, the more it is likely to taste. To reduce acidity, add more water. Adding milk to your tea reduces the chances of damaging your teeth. 

The environment in which tea is cultivated determines the concentration of the tea plant’s minerals, nutrients, and metabolites, which impact acidity. Environmental factors include seasonality, water stress, solar radiation, altitude, soil type, available nutrients, herbivory, local microbes, and geography. These factors explain differences in acidity between similar tea types.

How to lower the acid of tea?

  • Cut down the brewing time. It does not matter if you are using tea bags or loose-leaf tea.
  • Dilute brewed tea with water, milk, or cream.
  • Choose a more alkaline tea with a higher pH level, like green tea.
  • Do not add lemon juice, orange juice, or juices from other citrus fruits since they have more acid (Healthline.com). 
  • Brushing your teeth reduces the acidity of your tea and avoids additives. Tea brings positive benefits to your oral health.

        Is black tea acidic?

Yes, Black Tea is acidic but less acidic than coffee. Black teas are between 4.9-5.5 on the pH scale, but some teas have acidity as low as three on the pH scale. However, coffee was less acidic than lemon tea and more acidic than black. Black tea has a pH of 6.37, while coffee has a pH of 5.35. The acidity level of tea and coffee also depends on where it comes from. Some teas are more acidic than coffee. These are rosehip tea, bottled iced teas, and teas made with fruit juices.

        Is green tea alkaline or acidic?

Green tea has a PH level above 7.2, meaning it is non-acidic or alkaline. Green tea is more alkaline than acidic. Adding more water or milk to the tea minimises the effect. Reducing the steeping time of the tea can also reduce acidity. The least acidic are green and white tea, followed by chamomile tea. Although green tea is less acidic, it has as much caffeine as coffee. The type of tea leaves determines acid levels. 

Is coffee acidic

Coffee is acidic and may affect health conditions such as acid reflux and IBS. If you suffer from any of these, you may have to avoid them. Since espresso coffee has a pH of about 5, it is more acidic than black coffee. The acidity of this beverage cannot be eliminated, but there are ways to reduce it.

You may have to drink cold brew coffee and choose darker roasts. Coffee is also a muscle relaxer. The lower esophageal sphincter is a muscle between the stomach and the oesophagus. When it relaxes, the stomach acid moves back up the oesophagus, causing heartburn. If you are extra sensitive, do not drink coffee or tea on an empty stomach.

Coffee has its positives and negatives, but there are some low-acid options you can try to counteract your symptoms. Most coffees are acidic, although that does not affect most coffee lovers. Drinking caffeinated coffee increases the amount of acid already in your stomach. That makes it easier for acid reflux and heartburn to affect you. 

How to lower the acidity of your coffee

  • Coffee beans grown at lower altitudes have lower acidity due to the soil nutrients. What determines the elevation of the plants is the country of origin. 
  • Dark roast coffee has lower acid and caffeine. For a less acidic coffee, stick to dark roasts.
  • Cold brew is less acidic than a standard brew made with hot water.
  • Add salt to the grounds before you brew to lower the acidity of your coffee. That will not give you salty coffee. 
  • To lower the acidity of your coffee, brew with eggshells. The eggshells are high in calcium, and that minimises acidity. Make sure you have rinsed the shells, and all the egg is gone.

the pH of tea with milk

Starting your day with a cup of milk tea will lead to acidity. While adding milk to your tea may be enjoyable, it may be unhealthy. Adding milk to tea may not have severe reactions, but it may hamper your system. Milk may help your stomach produce less acid than plain tea, and tea is mildly acidic (Hopkinsmedicine.org).

the pH of coffee with milk

Black coffee gives you around a pH of 5 and is acidic. Milk has a pH of 6 and is slightly more neutral, meaning that adding milk to coffee makes it less acidic by dilution. If your stomach reacts to the acids in coffee, there are ways to make your favourite brew more tolerable.

Which is less acidic tea or coffee

Tea is less acidic than coffee, but it depends on the tea since certain types are more acidic than coffee. Unlike coffee, which has a consistent acidity and pH level, tea has varieties. Black tea has low acid. Make sure the type of tea that you have is not more acidic than coffee. Keep away fruit from herbal tea for lower acid.

Acidity in green tea VS coffee

Green tea has a higher pH than coffee. It is in the range of 6.0 to 6.4, unlike the pH of an unroasted coffee bean of 5.0.

Filed Under: Tea

Derek

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