You don’t have to stop enjoying your morning cup of joe if you suffer from acid reflux. Instead, choose low-acid or acid free coffee which is easier on your stomach while still offering its original flavor – usually made with darker roast coffee beans with less acidity compared to lighter roasts and instant low-acid instant coffee is more gentle on stomach issues like heartburn or acid reflux.

Before making your decision to drink caffeine free coffee with acid reflux, there are a few facts you need to keep in mind. Coffee may trigger heartburn symptoms for people suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Coffee stimulates gastric acid secretion and causes stomach acid to rise into the esophagus where it may irritate the lining. In addition, its acid can relax lower esophageal sphincters which normally prevent stomach acid from flowing back into the stomach and relax them further.

Coffee’s acid can leave people thirsty, leading to dehydration. To combat this effect, in addition to avoiding caffeine-containing drinks like coffee and tea, try drinking more water and herbal teas such as chamomile, ginger or licorice root tea; or marshmallow root tea which has a soothing effect on stomach and esophagus and helps calm sour stomachs. It contains mucilage which coats stomach walls.