People often hear about the Alkaline Diet these days and among its top foods to avoid are coffee and chocolate. But is this really accurate? If coffee is something that you simply cannot live without in the morning, rest assured: coffee is actually less acidic than most people assume and there are ways you can reduce acidity without harming an alkaline diet plan.

All liquids have a pH level, which measures their acidic or basic nature. Acidic liquids fall close to 1 while basic ones fall closer to 14. Water has a neutral pH value of 7 and makes an ideal accompaniment to meals, while coffee has an acidity level that ranges between 1-5.6 depending on its source and roast length, due to its antioxidants such as chlorogenic acids that give its flavor as well as have been found to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Coffee acidity depends on where and for how long its beans were roasted; lighter roasts have less acidity while decaffeination process removes some chlorogenic acids from coffee beans used during decaffeination process than dark roasts do;

Too much acidity in our diets can create imbalances that strain our bodies, leading to conditions like heartburn and ulcers. I recommend prioritizing eating more anti-inflammatory, alkaline-forming foods like fruits, vegetables, ancient grains, nuts and seeds as well as organic animal products in moderation. If you do drink coffee occasionally, offset its acidic effects with other alkaline sources like coconut water, filtered or mineral water and herbal teas for balance.

Acidity in coffee can be decreased by grinding the beans coarsely and brewing at higher temperatures over a longer time, as well as adding eggshells into the grounds – their naturally alkaline properties will help neutralize some of its acidity. For those sensitive to acidic foods, consider switching from regular coffee to something like kopi luwak which has low acidity levels as it contains malic and citric acids that provide many health benefits like increased energy production, endurance muscle pain tolerance iron absorption and bone strength enhancements – best quality ethically harvested ethically harvested coffee would be ideal.