Where would we be without our good old cup of coffee? ‘A lot better off’, you might answer if you’re in the 11% of the world’s population that suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, such is the havoc that coffee can wreak on the gut, with stomach pain, heartburn and acid reflux an all-too-familiar consequence of a single cup of joe.
So in celebration of National Coffee Break Day, we’ve knocked up a brew of coffee hacks so sufferers don’t miss out on the drinking fun, ensuring that we can all take equal delight in one of the world’s most popular beverages.
1. Try darker robusta roasts
As acid is lost during the coffee-roasting process, the longer (i.e. darker) the roast, the less acid your coffee will contain, and the gentler it will be on your gut. And choose robusta over arabica. Although robusta beans have almost twice as much caffeine as arabica ones, they are typically less acidic.
2. Use lower-altitude beans
Altitude plays an important part in how a coffee bean grows, with higher elevations (between 1,800 and 6,300 ft) producing coffee beans that are more acidic. For a milder coffee, then, you might want to try beans grown at lower altitudes (between 600 and 2,400 ft). Notable countries growing these include Brazil, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Mexico and Sumatra.
3. Look out for low-acid coffee
One easy solution is to buy coffee that’s been specifically treated to reduce its acidity. Different companies use different methods to lower the acidity levels of their coffee, including dewaxing, steam processing and using additives to do the job. If the coffee isn’t marketed as low-acid, then there may be a guide on the packet that gives you some idea of the coffee’s acidity.
4. Delay the pouring
The hotter the water, the more easily the oils, acids and caffeine are extracted from the coffee. So once the kettle’s boiled, resist the urge to pour straightaway. Instead, wait three to five minutes before making a cup to keep acid levels to a minimum.
5. Don’t drink it on an empty stomach
Sometimes the only incentive for getting out of bed is the thought that your morning brew is just a few steps away. But although knocking back a mug of java first thing seems like the only way to start the day, your gut might have other ideas. While there’s been little research into the effects of coffee drinking on an empty stomach and how it might affect the symptoms of IBS, coffee is known to relax the lower oesophageal sphincter, which could trigger heartburn in those prone to it. Lining your stomach before downing the brain juice can go some way to preventing a digestive flare-up, but if eating is the last thing on your mind after you’ve crawled out of bed, then a drink of water can help neutralise the acid.
6. Cold-brew your coffee
If you don’t mind preparing your coffee in advance, then cold-brewing could be for you. Cold-brewing is a coffee-making method whereby coffee is steeped in cold water for anything from 12 to 24 hours. Coffee made in this way is said to be 70% less acidic than regular coffee, making it a lot kinder on the stomach. As the extraction process results in a lower concentration of caffeine as well, it can also be useful for those trying to limit their caffeine intake.
For detailed instructions on how to cold-brew, see here.
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