There is a wave of people giving up coffee in favour of teas such as green and black teas. Have you ever wondered if tea has a lower acidity level than coffee? We know that coffee and tea stain our teeth and keep us awake, but what do these drinks do to our stomachs and tooth enamel? Which one is better in the long run?
Green and black teas are usually less acidic than coffee. However, some teas are more acidic than coffee. This includes rosehip teas, most bottled iced teas and juice teas.
Other factors are important when talking about the acidity levels of tea and coffee. In terms of acidity, the source of the tea and coffee is important, almost as important as the type of tea or coffee.
The nutrients in the soil as well as the substances that the plant is treated with play a role. Not to mention the damage caused to the teeth and stomach varies from one type to another.
Which tea is the most acidic?
When talking about acidity, the type of tea is important. Very often, coffee has a fairly consistent acidity and pH level. But tea is a different matter. There are many types and varieties of tea that people like to drink. Tea also comes from all over the world.
Usually, the least acidic of the true teas are green and white teas, followed closely by chamomile tea (which is an herbal tea). Although green tea is less acidic, it contains as much caffeine as coffee, whereas chamomile is caffeine-free and low in acidity.
Oolong tea has a pH of 5.5-7, so it is also a good choice if you are looking for a low acid option.
The most common cup of tea, black tea, is low in acidity and moderate in caffeine. Black tea is slightly less acidic than coffee, so if you tend to get heartburn, you may want to opt for a cup of English Breakfast tea rather than a cup of coffee.
If you are concerned about the acidity of coffee and switch to tea, make sure you don't just switch to a tea with a high acidity level as it may be more acidic than coffee.
How do you measure the acidity in tea?
Acidity is determined by the pH level. pH levels range from 0 (very acidic) to 14 (very basic or alkaline). Pure water is in the middle, with a pH of 7.0, and is considered neutral.
Therefore, drinks that are considered acidic have a pH below 7.0. The lower the pH, the more acidic it is. Most teas are weakly acidic, but some studies suggest that some teas, particularly bottled iced teas, may have a pH as low as 3, which is considered to be strongly acidic.
In general, most herbal teas that are not fruit based have a lower acidity. Herbal teas are also caffeine-free teas, which may be an added benefit if you are trying to reduce your intake.
As most fruits are naturally acidic, most fruit teas will have a higher acidity level. So stay away from lemon teas and other different types of fruit teas.
If you are looking for a soothing evening drink, a cup of hot chamomile will be easy on your teeth and stomach.
How to reduce the acidity of your tea
If you are concerned about the acidity of your tea, you can take the following steps.
- Reduce the brewing time whether you use tea bags or loose leaf tea
- Dilute the brewed tea with water, milk or cream
- Choose an alkaline tea with a high pH, such as green tea, chamomile or mint
- Do not add lemon juice, orange juice or the juice of other citrus fruits
Although not a true tea, ginger tea has been shown to soothe upset stomachs and help with digestive problems, so it is a good choice too. It's also a good choice as it has less caffeine than any real tea (actually none!) .
How to reduce the acidity of coffee
Coffee lovers, don't despair. Several factors can bring down the acidity of coffee. If you want to ensure that your morning brew is low acid coffee with minimal side effects, then try these tips.
Low altitude beans
Coffee beans grown at lower altitudes naturally have lower acidity. This is related to soil nutrients. Finding out the altitude of the plant will depend on the country of origin. Mountain growing areas will have a higher growing altitude.
Dark Roast Coffee
The longer the beans are roasted, the lower the acidity of the coffee and the lower the caffeine content. Although the golden roast may be smoother, it is more acidic. Therefore, if you want a less acidic coffee, stick to darker roasts.
Cold brew
Cold brewing is now a popular choice. It is easy to make at home and has less acidity than traditional brews made with hot water. Cold brewed coffee is a great way to start your morning or spend a low acid afternoon pick me up. You can even get fancy and make nitro cold brew at home if you have the right equipment.
Add salt
If you want to reduce the acidity of your morning coffee, you can add some salt to the coffee powder before brewing. Just a little goes a long way, and you won't be drinking salty coffee. This is a coffee trick that anyone can try today.
Eggshells
Another brewing technique that reduces the acidity of coffee is to brew it in eggshells. Eggshells are high in calcium and can reduce the acidity. The key is to make sure you have rinsed the eggshells well to ensure that all the eggs are gone.
How acidic tea and coffee can affect acid reflux
People who already suffer from GERD, which causes acid reflux, usually stay away from tea, coffee, acidic drinks and other acidic foods because they are too acidic. But do they have to? When it comes to tea, although it contains caffeine and a degree of acidity, it is much better than coffee for heartburn sufferers.
However, it's not because of the acid levels or the caffeine. Despite the stimulant in coffee, it is also a muscle relaxant. There is a muscle between the stomach and the oesophagus called the lower oesophageal sphincter and when it relaxes it allows stomach acid to move up into the oesophagus, causing heartburn.
Some people say that coffee causes heartburn because of the acid or even caffeine, but this is not the case. It is known that even decaf can cause heartburn in some people. If you are particularly sensitive, do not drink coffee or tea on an empty stomach.
Do the acids in tea and coffee affect bone density?
Another aspect of the consumption of acidic beverages such as tea and coffee is a concern for bone density. It is not clear whether this is related to the acidity of the coffee or other factors, but typically coffee drinkers have lower bone density than tea drinkers.
This seems to be the case even though some teas have a higher acidity than coffee. If you have a family member with a history of bone loss or other risk factors, then you may need to stick to low acid teas.
If you have problems with bone density, ask your doctor which teas are safest for you or to avoid.
Are coffee and tea bad for my teeth?
The truth about coffee and tea for your teeth is more complicated than some people might think. Your teeth can be stained by the colour of the drink, but how it affects your tooth enamel is the bigger issue. If your enamel is damaged, you are more likely to develop cavities and tooth decay.
Tea contains a wider range of pigments than coffee. A cup of coffee is just black or dark brown, whereas tea carries a wide range of pigments. Due to the presence of pigments and acids, tea can damage tooth enamel more quickly than coffee.
Tea may stain your teeth more quickly, but only because it is darker than coffee. One way that coffee drinkers and tea drinkers can combat this damage without giving up tea and coffee is to drink the beverage through a straw.
Worried about your teeth? Don't do it.
Did you know that certain ways of drinking tea and coffee can affect your oral health more than others? These methods tend to allow the drink to linger around your mouth and teeth, increasing the amount of time your teeth are exposed to acid. If you are concerned about enamel and tea stains on your teeth, follow these guidelines on what not to do
Swish and swish tea or coffee
Swishing tea or coffee in your mouth like a mouthwash is not a good way to protect tooth enamel from acid. Quite the opposite. It will bathe your teeth in acids and pigments that can damage tooth enamel.
Keeping tea or coffee in your mouth
While coffee and tea lovers may want to have another taste of the drink, it is not wise to keep tea or coffee in your mouth. Just like swishing in your mouth, your teeth will be exposed to the acid for a long time. This will further weaken and stain your teeth.
Brush your teeth immediately after drinking tea or coffee
No one likes the taste of coffee, but did you know that brushing your teeth right after drinking coffee or tea is bad for your teeth? Because these drinks are acidic, some more so than others, and if you brush right away you will remove some of the newly weakened tooth enamel.
The good news: there are always low-acid options for tea
While it is true that some types of tea are more acidic than others, there are many options such as green tea, white tea, chamomile and peppermint tea, which have a lower pH.
Even if you must have a super strong cup of black tea or coffee, there are steps you can take to reduce the acidity and any negative effects you may experience.
Thankfully, there's no reason to give up all the health benefits of caffeine and tea in the morning, unless you just want to.
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