7 Things you should never do on an empty stomach

Food First: 7 Things you should never do on an empty stomach

Angela Goh

26 Oct 2016

updated the 14 November 2016 à 11:25

If your stomach is growling, it’s best to avoid these 7 things until you’ve had a bite to eat.

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Shop for your groceries
Many of us have probably heard of this one. When you make a quick trip to the supermarket to get your weekly groceries, it’s best not to go on an empty stomach or you’ll find yourself purchasing foods that you want to eat at that exact moment to fill your tummy, and they are more likely to be foods that are high in calories and fat. Ensure you have had something to munch on before you embark on your quest for groceries.
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Drink coffee or tea
You may be guilty of this one. Once your alarm clock rings and you groggily drag yourself out of bed, it is so easy to brew yourself a nice cup of Nespresso coffee or steep a tea bag in a mug. Well, if you’re downing these hot beverages first thing in the morning, it’s time to kick the habit. Drinking them on an empty stomach increases acid levels and may be the cause of your heartburn and indigestion throughout the day. Have some toast before you indulge in your morning cuppa!
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Consume too much sugar
Sugar is very readily absorbed by your body. If you consume a large amount of sugar on an empty stomach, your body will not be unable to produce the amount of insulin needed to regulate your blood sugar levels. Constant spikes in your blood sugar levels can turn into chronic hyperglycemia, which can result in loss of vision, kidney disease and even strokes and heart attacks.
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Work out at the gym
Unless you’re engaging in light exercise like walking or stretching, it’s best not to tackle the heavy stuff while your stomach is empty. Some people may be convinced that exercising on an empty stomach may help your burn more fat, but scientific evidence has proven otherwise. Anyway, attempting a hard workout without sufficient energy will just lower your overall productivity… and will also increase your risk of fainting spells.
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Take your medication
This one is very important. Unless specifically directed by your doctor to do otherwise, always avoid ingesting medicine on an empty stomach. It can irritate your intestinal lining and even put you at risk of developing stomach ulcers, especially if you are taking aspirin or antibiotics. Doing this can also inhibit the effectiveness of the medication.
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Consume alcohol
Without anything in your stomach to soften the blow of incoming alcohol (or to “dilute” it, so to speak), the alcohol ends up hitting your bloodstream quickly and may cause a temporary decrease in blood pressure. And as blood alcohol concentration spikes, you end up getting intoxicated a lot quicker.
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Travel
While travelling on a full stomach is never really the most comfortable idea (no one likes feeling their food move around in their bellies), travelling while there is nothing in the tummy can increase the likelihood of motion sickness. The best thing to do is to eat a light meal or snack before travelling to avoid any discomfort.

It’s morning and you’ve just woken up. It’s time to fix yourself a nice steaming cup of coffee to wake you up. But wait, coffee (and tea, for that matter) shouldn’t be consumed when you haven’t had any food yet. You may have heard that a number of other foods and beverages shouldn’t be eaten or drunk on an empty tummy, and this includes tea and coffee, along with alcohol and medication, as doing so might cause health issues or temporary discomfort.

There are also some activities you should avoid doing while you’re on the verge of hunger, such as vigorous exercise. Head up to the gallery to find out what else you shouldn’t be doing on an empty stomach, and more importantly why you shouldn’t be doing them.

Angela Goh

Photos: Getty Images

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