Drinking coffee on an empty stomach is harmful to your health

Drinking coffee on an empty stomach increases the acid concentration in the stomach, which can easily lead to indigestion and heartburn.

Drinking coffee on an empty stomach is harmful to your health. Toast, bananas, nuts, rice cakes or whole grain crackers are good choices to combine with coffee. (Photo: Thanh Chau)

According to statistics, 1 in 5 people regularly skip breakfast and only drink coffee until lunch. Experts warn that this habit can cause you to struggle with an unpleasant health problem related to the stomach.

Coffee may help you feel less tired and more alert, but it also affects the acid balance in your stomach. It is an acidic beverage that can irritate the lining of your stomach - especially if you drink it on an empty stomach.

“If you just drink coffee without eating anything, your stomach is likely to react by producing more acid which causes heartburn,” explains British nutritionist Rob Hobson.

Certain ingredients in coffee can increase the acid levels in our stomachs. American gastroenterologist Supriya Rao told the Huffington Post that caffeine stimulates the production of the hormone gastrin, which is responsible for producing stomach acid. This is more pronounced when drinking coffee on an empty stomach.

Plant-based compounds called phenols, which are abundant in coffee, also contribute to gut acidity. “Coffee has a pH of about 5, whereas our stomach acid has a pH of about 2,” says Dr. Rao.

It’s not just high acid levels that can cause stomach pain and nausea, either. Hobson explains that the caffeine in coffee can relax the lower esophageal sphincter—the valve that separates the stomach from the esophagus. “This relaxation allows stomach acid to flow back into the esophagus more easily, causing the burning sensation often associated with heartburn,” he says.

This effect can vary from person to person. For some, the higher stomach acid levels caused by drinking coffee on an empty stomach don't cause any problems, but for others, the habit can be uncomfortable.

Experts say the problem is easy to fix. You don’t need to give up coffee or other caffeinated drinks in the morning. Instead, add some snacks that go well with your coffee.

If you suffer from heartburn, Hobson recommends avoiding coffee and other stimulants like citrus fruits, chocolate, and peppermint. “Choosing lighter meals also helps reduce stomach acid and the risk of heartburn compared to eating fatty foods that take longer to digest,” he says.

Toast, bananas, nuts, rice cakes or wholegrain crackers are all good options to pair with coffee, Hobson suggests. But be aware that drinking coffee with a meal can interfere with the absorption of certain nutrients, such as iron.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/uong-ca-phe-luc-doi-gay-hai-cho-suc-khoe-284798.html