Comparative study of chlorogenic acid and caffeine contents in commercial brewed coffees

Often at doctor's advice, 35 million Americans have had to stop or cutback their morning coffee kick start due to heartburn and acid reflux as coffee is a leading cause to aggravate these stomach troubles. These problems haven't gone unnoticed in the coffee industry by both a leader and an upstart. Industry leader, Folgers, is repositioning its Folgers Simply Smooth brand by calling it "low acid" coffee. The upstart is Puroast® Low Acid Coffee. Unfortunately, only one of these is really lower in acid according to university research.

A leading chemist, Dr. Taka Shibamoto at University of California Davis, has conducted acidity tests of coffee. His research(1) has shown that Puroast® has 50% less acid than traditional coffee and that Folgers Simply Smooth has roughly the same acidity as its regular brands of coffee. A separate clinical survey(2) with coffee drinkers who suffer from acid reflux reported that 90% of the sampled consumers were able to drink Puroast® without the "usual symptoms."

But don't coffee lovers want a low acid coffee that tastes good? Newsweek (7/31/06) conducted a taste test of low acid coffees and reported, "Our testers ranked this blend (Puroast) No. 1 for its nutty aroma, robust flavor and taste." They were less impressed with Folgers Simply Smooth, "Our tasters called it 'decent', but with a 'watered-down' flavor and surprising bitterness."

In addition to the scientists and media, Puroast® has consumers on their side as Puroast is the fastest growing brand in the low acid segment and now available in leading retail grocers and the antacid section of select pharmacies. The truth is Puroast® is a gourmet tasting java with 50% less acid.