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Last Updated On September 6, 2023
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I drink a LOT of coffee. I also suffer from acid reflux. Coincidence? My doctor thinks not.
Sadly for many coffee lovers, our beloved liquid black gold’s brewing process is a rather acidic substance that can cause problems to sensitive stomachs and those who overindulge (guilty, party of one).
Luckily for me, there are some fantastic low-acid coffee options, including Keurig K-cup brewers.
I have tasted and reviewed them all here. So when that heartburn next acts up, I've got you covered, fellow coffee lover, with all the best low-acid coffee K-Cups on the market today.
OUR TOP PICK
Healthwise
Taste
5.0
Size Options
4.0
Value For Money
4.5
Our Score
4.5
CHEAPEST OPTION
Organic Coffee Co.
Taste
4.5
Size Options
4.5
Value For Money
4.5
Our Score
4.5
Most Popular
Lifeboost Medium Roast
Taste
5.0
Size Options
4.0
Value For Money
3.5
Our Score
4.2
7 Best Low Acid K-Cups That Still Taste Great
1. Healthwise - Editor's Pick
Taste
5.0
Size Options
4.0
Value For Money
4.5
Overall Rating
4.5
Roast Level | Medium Roast |
Price Per Count | $0.97 |
Taste | Floral, nutty |
Region Of Origin | Colombia |
Bean Type | Single origin fair trade Arabica |
Caffeine Per Cup | 51 mg |
I really appreciate it when I see these new advancements in the coffee industry, like what Healthwise Coffee is doing with its TechnoRoast technique.
With this new method, they slowly roast their beans, achieving a fantastically low acid level of 6.18 pH while preserving much of the high-quality Arabica beans' natural minerals and vitamins.
Healthwise maintains a medium roast level which helps promote both more flavor and a deliciously cleaner coffee.
Something that really surprised me about these pods was their caffeine content - 51 mg per cup is much lower than the list average of 80-100 mg. This makes this pack perfect for anyone looking to avoid the caffeine rush of a strong coffee.
The aroma is lovely and bright, with a bouquet of floral top notes. The taste is subtle: I get hazelnut, Brazil nut, and a touch of something sweet and spicy, like cinnamon.
Overall, this K-Cup is really a beautiful tasting coffee that has become my favorite drink when using Keurig machines.
Pros
Cons
2. Organic Coffee Co. French Roast - Best Value K-Cups
Taste
4.5
Size Options
4.5
Value For Money
4.5
Overall Rating
4.5
Roast Level | Dark Roast |
Price Per Count | $0.56 |
Taste | Clove, milk chocolate, and toasted almond |
Region Of Origin | Central and South America |
Bean Type | 100% USDA organic Arabica |
Caffeine Per Cup | 90 mg |
I found the Organic Coffee Co K-Cup to have a very interesting flavor profile!
The aroma of clove is definitely there. That scent instantly gives me warm holiday season vibes.
There is also a nuttiness on the nose.
Toasted almond comes through strong in the taste, combining beautifully with the chocolate flavor, which is much lighter and creamier than the more common dark chocolate notes.
The acid level is around 5 to 5.5 pH, so it is more neutral than most regular coffees from Keurig brewers but not as neutral as Healthwise Low-Acid K-Cup Coffee.
With lower pH than some of the other K-Cups on this list, it still has a flavor that is truly unique.
This Arabica coffee tastes great on its own, black or with a splash of milk. My personal preference is to enjoy it in a cappuccino.
In terms of caffeine levels, this pod provides an average boost of 90 mg of caffeine per cup.
If you love chocolatey coffee but want a lighter roast and less caffeine, the Lifeboost pods, next on our list, are a good choice. Just note that they are more of an indulgence at around $1.60 a pod.
Pros
Cons
3. Lifeboost - Low Acid Organic Coffee
Taste
5.0
Size Options
4.0
Value For Money
3.5
Overall Rating
4.2
Roast Level | Medium Roast |
Price Per Count | $1.60 |
Taste | Chocolate, cinnamon, nutty |
Region Of Origin | Nicaragua |
Bean Type | Single-origin Arabic, grown in a bird habitat |
Caffeine Per Cup | 85 mg |
Lifeboost is a true pioneer in sustainable initiatives in the coffee industry.
Where most of its competitors began with their standard process and worked on retrofitting eco-friendliness into what they do, Lifeboost takes a different approach.
Here the process truly begins with the environment as the focal point.
I love seeing this groundbreaking approach. It gives me hope for the coffee industry to know that bright minds are innovating on behalf of the planet.
This coffee is good for the Earth and for gut health and cell health. This low-acid coffee K-Cup is also free of all pesticides and mycotoxins (i.e., mold).
And the pH level is 6, which is one of the most neutral acid levels on the market, and puts it in the same league as Healthwise Low-Acid K-Cup Coffee and Organic Coffee Co. French Roast.[1]
These pods also have a similar caffeine level to Organic and Trücup's, next on the list, at 85 mg per cup.
I know my fellow coffee lovers want to know how it tastes! These medium-roasted coffee beans are mild acidity. A lovely spiciness on the nose, also sweet… more cinnamon than pepper.
The notes of chocolate and hazelnut on the palate give me a faint Nutella vibe.
Pros
Cons
4. Trücup Low Acid Coffee
Taste
4.0
Size Options
4.0
Value For Money
4.5
Overall Rating
4.2
Roast Level | Medium Dark Roast |
Price Per Count | $0.58 |
Taste | Earthy, full-bodied |
Region Of Origin | Central and South America |
Bean Type | 100% Arabica |
Caffeine Per Cup | 80 mg |
Sometimes I just want a good coffee with flavor and strength, low acid, planet-friendly, and won't break the bank. Trücup low acid K-Cup is my go-to for this scenario.
I appreciate the chemical-free process they use to lower acid content. Trücup uses a Swiss water process steam-based method for coaxing the acid-causing compounds out of their high-quality Arabica beans.
Because if you are going the extra mile to buy the best low-acid coffee, you don't want to throw a bunch of chemicals on top of your stomach issues.
The flavor is strong, earthy, and full, but it lacks any of the unique tasting notes of some of its companions on this list. Don't get me wrong: it tastes like a good breakfast blend.
If you want a similar bold taste but with a unique flavor profile, the smoky spiced chocolate notes in the Cafe Don Pedro French Roast pods are a great choice for a similar price.
Pros
Cons
5. Purity Coffee EASE Low Acidity K-Cups
Taste
5.0
Size Options
4.0
Value For Money
3.0
Overall Rating
4.0
Roast Level | Dark Roast |
Price Per Count | $2.66 |
Taste | Dark Chocolate, roasted walnut, brown spice |
Region Of Origin | Unspecified organic farms |
Bean Type | 100% organic, fair trade Arabica |
Caffeine Per Cup | 80 mg |
Before my first sip of coffee I like to enjoy the aroma of the coffee. I pick up on loads of nuttiness and some strong spice from Purity Coffee EASE which I found very comforting.
There is a taste of dark chocolate, with some bitterness, and mellow, toasted walnut.
A lingering flavor of smoke and spice is very enjoyable and sometimes tough to find from Keurig machines.
I love how the people at Purity meticulously source, prepare and roast their coffee to ensure the preservation of the most beneficial minerals, antioxidants, and nutrients.
All of that attention to detail does come at a price, a whopping $2.66 for every good cup of coffee. Purity low-acid coffee K-Cup may not be the right choice for your 3x-a-day coffee on the go.
Consider this brew to be one to enjoy as a special planet-friendly best low-acid coffee.
For a more affordable dark chocolatey option, you can pick up the Cafe Don Pedro French Roast Low-Acid Coffee at only $0.57 per cup.
Pros
Cons
6. Puroast
Taste
4.0
Size Options
4.5
Value For Money
4.0
Overall Rating
4.2
Roast Level | Medium Dark Roast |
Price Per Count | $0.65 |
Taste | Floral, caramel |
Region Of Origin | Venezuela |
Bean Type | Single origin Arabica |
Caffeine Per Cup | 75 mg |
I really appreciate a single-origin coffee from a smaller independent roaster such as this House Blend Single Serve Coffee from Puroast.
I like knowing where my coffee comes from, among other factors, and the environmental impact of a single source is considerably lower than other big brands.
This blend is low in acid and contains 70% more antioxidants than green tea. Puroast's coffee delivers all the good stuff that my body thrives on, with much less acid reflux.
Flavor-wise, I find this coffee to be well-balanced, mid-range robustness, and very smooth, which I really like. I can tell that the roasters take time and effort into creating one of the best tasting low acid coffee products.
The aroma has bright and crisp floral tones like that of the Purity Coffee EASE Low Acid K-Cups that are followed by a lovely rich caramel taste that lingers.
If you want a floral medium roast to indulge in, Healthwise's pods provide a delicious nutty floral combination for just under a dollar per pod. Plus, it has half the caffeine - no need to feel guilty for having an evening treat.
Pros
Cons
7. Cafe Don Pedro French Roast
Taste
4.5
Size Options
3.5
Value For Money
4.0
Overall Rating
4.0
Roast Level | Dark Roast |
Price Per Count | $0.57 |
Taste | Dark Chocolate, smoke, spice |
Region Of Origin | Central and South American |
Bean Type | 100% Arabica |
Caffeine Per Cup | 100mg |
When I decided to write this review of the best low-acid coffee K-Cups, I knew I had to include Cafe Don Pedro.
Cafe Don Pedro uses a different method than the Swiss method used by Trücup Low Acid Coffee to reduce the acid content in their coffee.
They diligently remove the chaff and coffee bean skin, which contain compounds that eventually become acidic. I love this effective, traditional, old-school method.[2]
To ensure their coffee still packs a great punch, Cafe Don Pedro fills their single-serve coffee pods with more coffee than other pod producers. So the caffeine content of the K-Cup is a bit higher, at 100 mg per cup - just at the high end of average for a cup of joe.
The flavor profile is a traditional dark roast espresso style K-Cup. There is smokiness in the aroma and a vibrant flavor.
The bitterness of dark chocolate is well balanced with sweet cherry-like summer fruit and a touch of pepper.
Pros
Cons
What Exactly Is Low-Acid Coffee?
Regular coffee is generally in the range of 4.5 to 5.1 on the pH scale. PH of 7 is neutral, such as water. Any substance with a pH less than 7 is considered acidic; the smaller the number, the more acidic it is.
Low-acid coffee is a coffee that has been specially roasted and ground so that the final product has a pH level of 5 or higher.
This means that the coffee roaster has made decisions in their unique roasting process that are designed to produce a coffee bean that can be brewed to make a coffee that is closer to neutral (i.e., as close to pH 7) as possible.
While the coffee roaster can really fine-tune the roasting process in many ways, there is only so much that is possible in terms of acid and flavor options.
As coffee is just naturally an acidic substance, there will always be some acidity in coffee, even in the lowest acid option.
How To Choose A Quality Low Acid Keurig Pod
Acidity Level
Since my priority is low acid, all the products on this list are suitable for folks like me. This is an important deciding factor for me when my heartburn and acid-related other digestive issues are acting up.
I prefer an acidity level of as close to 6 as possible when I’m choosing my low-acid K-Cup.
Life is too short to drink a bad cup of coffee, but luckily for me, these low acid coffee K-Cups provide so much variety and availability that the choice between heartburn or bad coffee is not one I ever have to face again.
Price Per Count
I strongly recommend paying close attention to the price per count of low-acid coffee K-Cups.
Once you find a couple of options that tickle your tastebuds the most while troubling your tummy the least, take a look at which options fit comfortably in your daily coffee budget allowance.[3]
On our list, the K-Cups range from $0.56 to $2.66 per pod.
The Organic Coffee Co.'s French Roast was the most affordable at $0.56 a pod, making it a great everyday option for dark roast fans. Trücup's pods were the cheapest medium-roast pods and were only 2 cents more expensive than Organic's per pod. Purity Coffee's EASE was the most expensive on our list at just under $3 per pod - more of a special treat than a daily staple.
Take a look online and see what websites (Amazon is often the best bet) offer your preferred low-acid single-serve coffee pods at the best price per count, which often means a larger count per box.
The more pieces you buy in a box, generally, the lower your price per count will be.
Compatibility With Machine
Coffee drinkers, don't get stuck with pods you can't use!
I have done this many times, which my coffee-drinking friends love because it usually means I end up gifting them stacks of K-Cups that work with their brewers, not mine.
Notorious offenders are the Starbucks K-Cup brand as well as Nespresso. Both of these need to have their specific pods for their specific machines, and vice versa.
A Keurig brand is great as most K-Cups, especially if they are actually called "K-Cups."
Either way, there are many wonderful brands out there for both machines and pods.
If you are uncertain, read the fine print on the box of K-Cups, and consult the user manual or website of your machine.
Roast Level
In general, a darker roast means less coffee acid than light roasts.
All of the K-Cups on my list are medium to dark roast because the longer the bean is heated (i.e., roasted), the more time it has to essentially cook out the acid.
Therefore espresso tends to be a good option for less acidic coffee, as espresso beans tend to be roasted for a longer time.
I found a total of four medium roast blends and three dark roasts that worked well for me on this list. Each type had a nice range of budget to fancy options and tastes to suit you. No matter your preferences, there is sure to be a low-acid K-Cup in your favorite roast out there for you.
Type of Bean
I sometimes feel like I'm the Avatar of coffee, trying to master each process and find the best quality blends. I love switching it up, using Robusta one day and Liberica another. That being said, I do have a soft spot for Arabica.
Arabica sweeps the board on this list, as all of these low-acid Keurig coffee cup options use 100% Arabica beans, all from Central and/or South America.
This reliable, easy-to-grow bean is the ideal choice for mass-producing Keurig K-Cup coffee pods and is also the best bean to remove/reduce acid cause compounds from.[4]
Caffeine Content
Similar to the general rule for the roast level. I loosely associate a darker roast with lower acid as well as lower caffeine content.
This is based on the same factor that the raw beans are cooked for a longer period of time, which changes their chemical makeup.
With consistent heating, the coffee beans lose caffeine or get broken down. The coffee roasters can make other variations to the process, but this is a general guideline.
Coffee tends to have around 80-100 mg of caffeine per cup no matter the coffee type or blend. The products reviewed here fall between 50 mg caffeine and 100 mg caffeine, with most hitting that average, so it's still enough to give you a good coffee boost.
Brand Reliability
The reduced acid market is a relatively new playing field. Not many of the large coffee houses are invested in trying to compete for the best-tasting low-acid Arabica coffee.
Especially not in the low-acid K-Cup market; you don't see many of the big well-known brands such as Starbucks, Dunkin', and Nespresso.
Environmental Impact
The major downside to these convenient Keurig K-Cup pods is the negative impact on the environment.
I really appreciate that so many of these brands are now opting for eco-friendly versions of the traditional pod. Some are compostable, and most are recyclable, like the Trucup K-Cups.
If this is an important decision factor for you, be sure to consult the fine print on your favorite brands' packaging to make sure you know how to properly dispose of your used pods.
Why Choose Low-Acid Over Regular Coffee Pods?
I choose low-acid coffee because my doctor told me to try something like green tea instead to combat my upset stomach. To that, I say, no way, doc!
Instead, I reach for one of my go-to Keurig K-Cup low-acid coffee options.
For all of us who love coffee, it may not be "doctor's orders" yet, but you might notice some stomach and digestive system issues and acid reflux after too many cups of joe.
For you, I do recommend giving some of these low-acid K-Cup options a try.
Common Low-Acid K-Cup Questions
To make K-cup coffee less acidic, you start off by choosing less acidic K-cup options. Also, opt for shorter coffees such as espresso, which are naturally less acidic. Add milk to your coffee, and your stomach will produce less stomach acid than if you drink black coffee. This alters the human body response to each flavorful cup.
You can use your own low-acid ground coffee blend in a reusable pod. This is a great, environmentally and budget-friendly way to use K-cup pods for low-acid coffee. Your favorite brand of low-acid coffee, finely ground and packed into a reusable pod, is a great option for making your best-tasting cup of low-acid java at home.
Yes, all low-acid K cups have an expiration date printed on them, so technically, they do “expire.” It mostly means that the taste, caffeine content, and acid content may no longer be as they have advertised. Flavors will get stale if stored for too long, and the chemical makeup of the coffee can alter, especially depending on how the pods were stored.
There are many options where you can buy low-acid K cups. Your grocery store may have a small selection, or you can try a specialty coffee retailer or purchase any of the 7 top picks for low-acid coffee K cups listed here online at the links provided. This is an easy and affordable way to order for your regular supply.
So, Which K-Cup Is Best For Acid Sufferers?
Whether you're following your gut or your doctor's orders, the best low-acid coffee K-Cups are Healthwise Low-Acid K-Cup Coffee that I foresee is here to stay.
Professional techniques and a passion for the beverage are things I look for in a flavorful cup of joe, and Healthwise has nailed it, in my opinion.
I am happy to say my stomach issues have improved thanks to all of these low-acid coffee K-Cup options, and I still enjoy delicious, interesting coffee at home.
I hope this list fills you with excitement as you embrace the world of low-acid coffee pods.
Our #1 Low-Acid K-Cup - Healthwise
Taste
5.0
Size Options
4.0
Value For Money
4.5
Overall Rating
4.5
References:
1. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/is-coffee-acidic
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8231775/
3. https://www.ncausa.org/Research-Trends/Economic-Impact
4. https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-grow-and-care-for-a-coffee-plant/
