Why Does Milk Make Coffee Less Bitter? A Secret Tip Inside

The other day I was wondering why does milk make coffee less bitter? 

It all started when my coffee machine started brewing slightly more bitter coffee than usual (I’ve had this machine for over 4 years now). By doing research on bitter coffee and milk I found a bunch of interesting facts about both coffee and milk and I’d like to share them with you. 

Let’s kick off. 

Why does milk make coffee less bitter? 

Milk and especially cow milk makes coffee sweeter, so when we add milk to our cup of joe it simply tastes sweeter and less bitter. Lactose is a natural sugar in cow milk that gives this subtle sweet taste in milk. 

What you should know about milk

The milk you typically find in supermarkets is either 2%, 1% or skim milk and this has to do with the fat in it – obviously the more fat the higher its calories are. 

Here are some of the 7 most popular milk types:  

• Cow 
• Soy 
• Almond 
• Coconut 
• Oat 
• Hemp 
• Rice

Other types are: 

• Buffalo
• Sheep

Milk is mostly water (87%) and the rest is fat and protein (13%). The main nutrients it contains are:

• Riboflavin 
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Potassium
• Phosphorous
• Vitamins A and B12
• Iodine

6 great reasons to put milk in your coffee

Let’s take a look at 4 different reasons for putting milk in your coffee. 

1. It makes your coffee sweeter

There’s 5g of lactose in 100 mL of cow milk.

Why does that matter? 

Like I said lactose is a natural sugar that gives milk this subtle sweetness. Because milk contains lactose when you add milk to your brew it turns sweeter.

What happens when you add lactose-free milk? 

It won’t be as sweet as coffee with lactose milk; it might be slightly sweeter but not that much. 

2. It becomes less bitter

Since you add milk to your coffee and becomes sweeter, your coffee is going to taste less bitter. 

Your taste buds can’t detect the bitter taste that much, meaning that you’ll mainly taste the sweetness of the milk. This simple trick is an effective way to turn a bitter (almost impossible to drink) cup of coffee into a brew that’s absolutely OK to have. 

3. It changes the colour of your brew

Adding milk to your coffee changes the colour of your drink turning it into a less dark colour which makes many enjoy coffee more as the visual part plays its role in the overall experience of enjoying a delicious cup of coffee. 

4. It makes coffee less acidic

It’s vital to avoid acidic coffee, especially, if you suffer from acid reflux. 

Because you mix coffee and milk it means that you’ll drink less coffee; as you already know coffee is acidic and can cause acid reflux or other stomach issues (depending on your body and how tolerant you’re to coffee acidity). 

By simply putting some milk in your coffee, the odds are you’ll avoid the risk of facing stomach issues.

5. It helps with teeth staining

It’s well-known information that excessive amounts of coffee turn the colour of your teeth darker over time. You have to go to a dentist to whiten your teeth if this is the case. Coffee contains tannins which go into the pores of enamel in our teeth, the hardest substance in the human body. When adding milk to your coffee it means you drink less coffee and inevitably less tannins stick into the pores of your teeth, so you’ll keep them whiter without needing the help of a dentist. 

6. More nutritious with milk in it

Coffee has antioxidant properties and it’s great for cleansing your body from toxins. Plus, it’s a real energy boost to keep you going for a long day. 

When it’s mixed with milk it becomes a real boost as milk contains calcium which is great for your bones and fats which are energy tanks. 

Should you add milk to your coffee? 

Let’s talk about the different coffee roasts and whether milk goes well with them:

• Light roast: Those coffee beans have a more citrusy taste and they produce coffee that is fruity and tangy. Typically milk with light roast coffee beans doesn’t go that well as it turns your coffee sour. 
• Medium and Dark roast: Those coffee beans don’t have citrus hints, they tend to have a chocolatey taste and therefore, coffee made with these kinda roasts mixes well with milk. 

Does vegan milk make your coffee less bitter? 

Vegan milk is becoming popular; you now have more options than ever before: 

• Rice
• Soy (can you froth soy milk?)
• Almond 
• Oat

The bad news is that these milk types don’t contain lactose (the natural sugar that makes cow milk sweeter), so they don’t really change the taste of your coffee much. I’d say that makes it more watery but not necessarily less bitter. 

What about lactose-free milk? 

The same goes for lactose-free milk as it obviously doesn’t contain lactose. 

Let’s wrap it up 

Still ‘Why does milk make coffee less bitter?’ If this is the case I suggest you scroll up and read the key sections of the article to get a better understanding of the topic. Stay tuned, I’m planning to write more articles about coffee and how to make it less bitter.  

FAQ 

Your burning questions are answered in this section. 

Why some don’t like milk in their coffee? 

This is a debate between coffee lovers and coffee snobs. 

Some prefer to add milk, especially in hot coffee to cool it down faster. Plus, milk adds this sweet spin to it, while coffee snobs claim that coffee is best enjoyed without adding milk or even sugar to it to simply experience all the flavours and aromas. It’s entirely up to you to choose whichever way you want to drink your coffee – there are no coffee cops, so let’s chill it’s just coffee. 

Does milk or sugar make coffee less bitter? 

The short answer is: either can do the job. 

They change the taste of coffee and you’ll taste less of the bitterness and more of the sweetness of milk or sugar. Other alternatives that also work pretty well are ice cream, a pinch of salt or even butter.