Undoubtedly, coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world, and many people are so fond of it that they believe that a day that does not start with a hot cup of coffee will be a boring and soulless day!
Although this belief is more than the result of indoctrination and strong interest in the wonderful taste of this drink, it is related to the properties of coffee, because coffee actually makes the mind alert, improves the functioning of the mind and body, and has a good effect on the mood. and reduces the risk of heart diseases and Alzheimer’s disease.
Despite all this, it has been seen that some people complain of stomach upset after drinking coffee, but does coffee really have a negative effect on the stomach and digestion?
Read more: Coffee And Anxiety
Coffee and upset stomach
Coffee has several compounds that may have a negative effect on the stomach and cause stomach upset, including:
1. Caffeine
Caffeine is a natural and strong mental stimulant that increases the level of alertness of people, it is said that one cup of coffee (240 ml) contains approximately 95 mg of caffeine.
This substance affects and aggravates the contractions of the digestive system, according to scientists, caffeinated coffee stimulates the colon 23% more than decaffeinated coffee and 60% more than juice.
Caffeine also increases the production of stomach acid, which will be associated with stomach upsets, especially in people who have a sensitive stomach.
2. Coffee acids
Although caffeine is the main culprit in stomach problems caused by drinking coffee, the acids in this drink also play an important role.
Coffee contains various acids, such as chlorogenic acid and N-alkanyl-5-hydroxytryptamine, which seem to increase acid production in the stomach. It should be noted that stomach acid helps break down food and move it better in the intestine.
Some people have claimed that their heartburn is aggravated by drinking coffee, but scientists have not been able to find a significant relationship between the two.
3. Additives
In some cases, it is actually not the coffee that causes stomach upset, but its additives such as milk, cream, sweeteners or sugar that become problematic, and unfortunately, many people are used to drinking their coffee with these additives.
For example, the body of about 65% of the world’s people is not able to properly digest lactose – a type of sugar found in milk – and they may experience problems such as bloating, stomach cramps or diarrhea after consuming dairy products.
Read more: Side Effects of Drinking Coffee On An Empty Stomach
Does decaffeinated coffee cause stomach upset?
In some cases, replacing caffeinated coffee with decaffeinated coffee has been found to help reduce stomach upset caused by drinking coffee.
This is an advantage when your upset stomach is caused by the caffeine in the coffee and not the coffee acids or its additives, since decaffeinated coffee still contains coffee acids, which increase stomach acid production and intestinal contractions, and the addition of milk, Adding cream, sugar or sweeteners to decaffeinated coffee will cause stomach problems, especially in people who are allergic to these foods.
Read more: Coffee and Liver
How to prevent stomach upset caused by drinking coffee?
If you feel that you are suffering from stomach upset after drinking coffee, you can reduce the gastrointestinal side effects caused by following a few tips in addition to enjoying a pleasant cup of coffee. Recommended:
- If you are a beginner, try to sip coffee slowly
- Avoid drinking coffee on an empty stomach. Coffee is acidic and drinking it with food makes it easier to digest.
- If you like to drink your coffee with milk, but you are lactose intolerant or feel that cow’s milk upsets your stomach, it is better to replace it with plant-based milks such as soy milk or almond milk.
How to reduce the acidity of coffee?
1. Choose coffee with a darker roast
It seems that coffee beans that have been roasted for a longer time and at a higher temperature, meaning that they have a darker roast, have less acidity than coffee with a lighter roast.
2. Try cold brew coffee
In general, it is said that cold brew coffee is less acidic than hot coffee.
3. Choose coffee with larger beans
The smaller the coffee beans are, the more acid is released from them during the brewing process, in other words, the acidity of the coffee obtained from larger beans is lower.
Coffee and stomach reflux
The cause of gastric reflux after drinking coffee is not the acidity of the coffee. Rather, the problem is in the muscle between the esophagus and the stomach. But drinking coffee has an effect on this muscle due to its caffeine content, and the effect of caffeine on gastric reflux causes it to go out of contraction and stomach acid enters the esophagus. How can this be prevented?
There are two general solutions, either we should reduce the caffeine in coffee as much as possible so that it has the least effect on the muscle, or we should reduce the stomach acid. In the following, we will see together what we should do for each of these solutions.
Less caffeine
In order to consume less caffeine with coffee, we must consider three points so that our cup of coffee has less caffeine. The type of coffee, the degree of roasting of the beans, the brewing method. How each of these three affects the amount of caffeine in coffee is detailed.
Less acidity
You might think that if the acid of coffee is not the cause of reflux, then why does the possibility of its occurrence decrease when the acidity of coffee decreases! We said that normally the acidity of coffee is lower than stomach acid. Now, if the coffee is less acidic, when it enters the stomach, it reduces the acidity of the stomach contents more.
Coffee with less acidity may not prevent reflux, but when reflux occurs, the contents entering the esophagus will cause less irritation. So the best coffee for a sensitive stomach is coffee with less acid.
| ⚠️ Pay Attention Please! This article was prepared by an expert. But this is for general information only. Before any action, it is necessary to consult a doctor. Beneficially is not responsible for any damages or losses! |
source:
- https://www.javapresse.com/blogs/enjoying-coffee/3-reasons-coffee-upsets-your-stomach
- https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/17/well/eat/coffee-empty-stomach.html
- https://perfectdailygrind.com/2023/02/can-too-much-coffee-cause-stomach-problems/
- https://www.coffeeness.de/en/coffee-upset-stomach/
- https://www.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/healthy-tips/coffee-on-an-empty-stomach
- https://www.irishtimes.com/health/your-wellness/2023/01/24/does-drinking-coffee-on-an-empty-stomach-really-harm-your-gut/
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