Which coffee is suitable for stomach problems and heartburn?

Introduction

People who drink a lot of coffee are highly likely to develop stomach problems, heartburn and other side effects sooner or later. The type of coffee you drink matters, because not all coffee affects the stomach in the same way.

This article explains which coffee to drink if you suffer from stomach problems, heartburn or general discomfort.

Contents

1. Why does coffee cause stomach problems and heartburn?
2. Drink less coffee or stop?
3. Switch coffee to avoid stomach problems and heartburn?
4. Which coffee is best for stomach problems and heartburn?
5. Guayusa as an alternative to coffee
6. Conclusion

1. Why does coffee cause stomach problems and heartburn?

You are not alone: many people experience stomach problems and heartburn after coffee, as well as a racing heart and increased stress. These problems are most common if you fall into one of the following groups:

1. You have been drinking coffee regularly for many years
2. You drink coffee in the morning on an empty stomach
3. You drink very cheap coffee from a discount supermarket
4. You drink several cups of coffee every day

If you only occasionally have a cup of coffee in a café, you may not notice much stomach trouble or heartburn, but you are probably familiar with a racing heart.

Another cause of coffee's side effects is its acids. They can increase stomach acid, which can in turn cause unpleasant heartburn. These acids are present in both roasted and green coffee, but our bodies tend to feel them more strongly in roasted beans.

Almost all roasted coffee sold in supermarkets is industrially roasted. Industrial roasting is often far too intense and produces more roast compounds than necessary. These compounds, in turn, can contribute to more stomach problems.

So which coffee is right for stomach problems? Or would it be better to drink less coffee and eventually stop altogether?

2. Drink less coffee or stop

Many people do not want to give up the taste of coffee, but repeatedly suffering from acid reflux and risking oesophageal or laryngeal cancer is not an option either.

Simply drinking less coffee is often not enough, while switching to a coffee alternative usually takes you too far from the original taste.

Our article explains how you can manage to drink less coffee or give it up altogether: “Drink less coffee or stop altogether: how to give it up”.

3. Switch coffee to avoid stomach problems and heartburn?

Switching to a higher-quality coffee may help. A more skilled roast by an experienced coffee roaster can at least reduce harmful roast compounds. However, it is never possible to eliminate them completely.

Switching coffee is therefore a good start, but it does not help with coffee acids: they remain in the beans and can cause unpleasant stomach problems and heartburn.

For stomach problems, lightly roasted coffee is generally the most suitable option.

4. Which coffee is best for stomach problems and heartburn?

By now, you have probably realised that simply switching coffee is not enough to end stomach problems and heartburn. Coffee is an acid-forming drink.

There is therefore no coffee that is especially suitable for stomach problems and heartburn. One option is to mix coffee with an alkaline drink. The baking-soda method is also used: ground coffee is mixed with baking soda. However, we do not recommend this.

A coffee that can still be drunk when you have stomach problems and heartburn should have the following qualities:

1. Predominantly alkaline
2. Still high in caffeine
3. A coffee taste
4. A gentle roast

That is why we combined Guayusa tea with coffee. Guayusa tea is a distinctive plant from Ecuador, where it often grows alongside coffee trees. Its leaves have the world's highest caffeine content and provide a pleasant lift without causing a racing heart; they are alkaline and mild in flavour. This Guayusa-coffee blend has a strong coffee flavour, does not cause a racing heart and is gentle on the stomach.

This blend is ideal if you want or need to drink less coffee, because you do not have to give up either its effects or its flavour.

You can watch a video about how the product was developed on our YouTube channel.

5. Guayusa as an alternative to coffee

Guayusa tea on its own is not a substitute for the taste of coffee, but this Ecuadorian tea has several benefits that you can also experience with our coffee-Guayusa blend. As well as being gentle on the stomach, Guayusa is easy on the nerves: it does not make you jittery, but helps you focus and keeps your mind pleasantly alert for several hours.

Its alkaline effect also has no impact on stomach-acid production, while its high antioxidant content helps the body cope better with oxidative stress during the day.

6. Conclusion

It is difficult to say which coffee is best for stomach problems, because every coffee, roasted or unroasted, contains acids that can stimulate stomach-acid production and cause heartburn. Roast compounds can make this worse.

The best alternative we know of is a blend of high-quality, gently roasted coffee and Guayusa tea. Guayusa tea has little effect on the coffee flavour, but a very positive effect on how it feels. With a 50/50 blend such as our Guayusa-coffee mix, most customers no longer experience stomach problems or heartburn. They also no longer experience a racing heart, shakiness or feelings of stress.