If you want to drink earl grey tea you might be wondering if it’s acidic and if earl grey tea is good for acid reflux?
Earl grey tea is acidic with a pH of around 4.5 pH. This acidity puts it on a sort of middle ground. Meaning it’s not very acidic but it’s not close to being alkaline either. This means for some people the acidity maybe troublesome whereas for others it may not be.
Below we will go into this in more detail and if it’s a good choice for acid reflux.
Is Earl Grey Tea Acidic?
If you don’t know earl grey tea is basically regular black tea along with added orange extract. Keep in mind that orange itself is highly acidic and is usually best avoided by people with acid reflux. As you might imagine the orange extract makes the tea much more acidic than a typical black tea.
Earl grey tea is acidic with a Ph of around 4.5 pH. This isn’t very acidic, but it also isn’t only slightly acidic either. If you are looking for a less acidic tea earl grey will not be your best option. Instead a herbal tea like chamomile tea or marshmallow root tea are both less acidic and also calming and soothing on the stomach and the whole digestive tract.
Is Earl Grey Tea Good for Acid Reflux?
Earl grey tea for some people with acid reflux will be completely fine whereas for others they may notice it greatly worsen or even triggers their acid reflux. Below we will look at some of the reasons why earl grey may make your acid reflux worse.
As earl grey has caffeine included this sometimes can be problematic for certain people. Caffeine can cause more acid production in the stomach. Also, caffeine may cause the valve above the stomach known as the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) to open when it shouldn’t. When this valve opens it often causes acid reflux problems.
In addition to the caffeine, earl grey tea also has 2 methylxanthines included, both are also known to cause the LES to relax when it shouldn’t which can also increase the chances of acid reflux.
Also, because earl grey is fairly acidic this can irritate and even cause acid reflux for certain people. This is particularly true if you have more severe acid reflux like GERD or LPR. In that case we recommend that you avoid earl grey tea and if you really want to try it then do so in moderation to make sure that it doesn’t worsen or trigger your acid reflux symptoms.
Also, regular black tea may be a better option if you have more severe acid reflux because it’s less acidic thanks to not have the added orange extract.
For more advice on diet for acid reflux check out my Wipeout Diet Plan. Also, for tailored advice and guidance book a Private Acid Reflux Consultation Here.
Important Related Questions
Does Earl Grey Tea Cause Acid Reflux?
For some people earl grey may irritate their acid reflux. This could be for one reason or another including its acidity, its caffeine content or because of the added orange extract to name a few.
What Kind of Tea is OK for Acid Reflux?
There are quite a few different teas that are good for acid reflux. A few of our top recommendations are chamomile tea, marshmallow root tea and fennel tea. All of these can be helpful and soothing to the stomach and the whole digestive tract.