As people living with digestive conditions may need to give up coffee altogether, for most they don’t. Unfortunately for those suffering from heartburn and IBS, some coffee’s acidity may aggravate symptoms further; but what could be behind its high acidity content and is there a way you can still enjoy your favourite beverage without experiencing side effects?

As the science of pH levels shows, acids have lower pH levels than bases; on the other hand, bases typically have a pH value greater than 7. To test whether something is acidic or not, simply mix some water with litmus paper in a glass – red indicates acidity while blue represents baseness – litmus paper will turn red if something acidic while it will turn blue when testing for bases – such as coffee which typically falls closer to having an overall pH value closer to 5!

How acidic your coffee will taste depends on a number of factors related to its chemical makeup and roasting process, among them volcanic soil or altitudes above 4500 feet tending to make for acidic coffee beans; organic beans such as those used in our French roast tend to have less acidity.

Also important in reducing acidity in coffee is where its beans come from; using organic, fair trade coffee beans that have been harvested from plants cultivated and harvested by workers treated fairly can help. Finally, adding egg shells can also help lower acidity as their natural alkaline properties can neutralize some of the acidity found in your beverage.