If you are wondering is black tea acidic, then the short answer is yes. However, the acid in black tea doesn’t have the same impact on everyone.
Learn about how the acerbic profile of black tea can have an impact on your digestion and if it is a good idea for you to keep drinking it.
Contents
Let’s first tackle the main question – what is black tea pH value?
Now, it should be noted that the exact number can vary from one cup to another.
This is because the pH value may be based on the kind of black tea, how strongly it was brewed, and even how much water was used.
On average, though, black tea has a pH value of around 4.9.
The acids found in black tea are oxalate and citrate.
Therefore, black tea is acidic, but very mildly so.
This means that black tea is perfectly safe for consumption for the average person.
If you suffer from acid reflux – or a symptom of this condition known as heartburn – you may be wondering if black tea is off-limits for you.
Since black tea is mildly acidic, can drinking tea cause heartburn?
This is a topic that scientists have considered for some time. In fact, it is a rather divisive topic.
So, researchers put together a meta-analysis to come to a conclusion once and for all.
Based on this, it would appear that black tea doesn’t cause or have an impact on acid reflux.
However, there is an exception.
It would appear that with East Asian populations have a higher risk of developing GERD after consuming black tea.
There is also some evidence to show that the caffeine in black tea could induce gastric acid.
Thus, if you are already dealing with an excess of stomach acid, drinking black tea could potentially exacerbate the issue.
At the end of the day, it is a personal decision:
Do you experience heartburn or acid reflux after drinking black tea?
Then, you may want to cut back on your intake or find a way to reduce the acidity.
Let’s say that you are concerned about the acidity of black tea, but aren’t willing to give up your favorite drink.
Is there are a solution for you?
Well, there could be a way to reduce the acid levels in tea to a certain degree.
One option would be to brew a weaker cup of tea. This means that you would reduce the steeping time of the tea leaves or the tea bag.
The other choice would be to add more water to your tea once it has been brewed.
Since water has a neutral pH, it can help to make the tea more alkaline.
As caffeine may also be a concern, you could try switching over to decaffeinated black teas.
This could potentially alleviate the problem.
Another dark beverage that is known for its acidic taste is coffee.
So, when the two are compared, which one is most acidic?
It would appear that black tea and coffee are even in this department.
On average, coffee has a pH value of around 5.
As with tea, the exact pH level can vary based on a number of factors.
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This concludes our investigation into whether or not black tea is acidic. As you can see, it is only mildly acidic and still perfectly safe for consumption.
If you would like to learn more about black tea, head over to our Pinterest page. It is chock-full of fascinating facts for you.
