Here’s why you should never drink coffee on an empty stomach
We’re all partial to a morning cup of joe, but could drinking it on empty stomach have undesirable consequences on your body?
If you’re anything like us, then you’d know that a piping hot cup of kopi is the only way to start our day.
However, if you’re one to chug down your cup of coffee without having a bite prior, hear us out: you might want to kick the habit.
While drinking coffee has been discovered to bring plenty of benefits (like minimising your risk of dementia), it turns out that you can put your health at serious risk if you drink coffee on an empty stomach.
For one, the java content in coffee stimulates your stomach’s acid production. On an empty stomach, this acid could damage your stomach’s lining and cause indigestion and heartburn. (And yes – this goes for decaffeinated coffee too.)
And if you’ve ever found yourself jittery after your cuppa, here’s why. Coffee can actually increase anxiety symptoms, boost heart rate, irritability and inability to focus. Which means if you swear by your flat white or espresso to make that irksome colleague we all have more tolerable or boost your productivity, it might only do the opposite.
Not only that, drinking coffee as a morning pick-me-up can mess up your circadian rhythm and make you feel less awake. Our bodies release a hormone called cortisol when we wake up, which is responsible for how alert and energised we feel. Contrary to what you might think, coffee can actually decrease your cortisol levels, which means having it first thing in the morning will only backfire in keeping you alert. Instead of having it the first thing in the morning, this is the best time to have your coffee, according to recent studies.
At the end of the day, we’re not saying give up your morning cup of joe – we know we can’t! Instead, dieticians recommend pairing your morning cafe with a hearty breakfast or morning snack to make sure you’re not enjoying it on an empty stomach.
Sarah Khan
Photos: Getty Images
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