A diet rich in food and drinks with high acid levels can cause health problems. Tea and coffee are known to be high in acidity, however if you're trying to reduce acidity in your diet, decaffeinated coffee is not a suitable alternative to either of these beverages.
Acid Levels
Tea has an acid level of 4.9 pH, and decaffeinated coffee has pH of around 5.0 to 5.1. Anything below a pH level of 7 is considered acidic, while anything above is alkaline. Therefore tea is slightly more acidic than decaffeinated coffee, but both are considered to be acidic drinks.
Effects of Too Much Acid
Consuming large amounts of acidic foods, such as too much tea and coffee, can put a strain on your digestive system, making it harder for your body to absorb the nutrients it needs. Too much acid in the body can also result in fatigue, headaches, stomach aches, dull hair, heartburn, skin irritation and ulcers.
Why Decaffeinated Coffee is More Acidic Than Regular Coffee
Decaffeinated coffee has higher levels of acid than regular coffee because caffeine triggers the secretion of gastric acids, while the decaffeinated variety only serves to increase the chance of a build-up in the body. A cup of tea contains around 75 mg of caffeine, while decaffeinated has had at least 97 percent of the caffeine removed.
Healthy pH Levels
The human body is made up of 60 per cent fluid, which should have a neutral value. This means it should be neither acidic nor alkaline. The ideal pH level for the human body is 7.