In a fast-paced modern life, coffee has become an indispensable daily drink for many people, and it awakens our minds and helps us to open a full day. However, allegations of “coffee and stomach damage” have been widespread and have raised doubts among many coffee lovers. So, does coffee hurt your stomach?
First of all, we need to understand the composition of coffee. The most important component of coffee is caffeine, a natural stimulant that stimulates the central nervous system and thus provides a reference. But at the same time, caffeine can have some effect on the gastrointestinal tract. When we take coffee, caffeine causes stomach cells to regenerate stomach acid. For people with a healthy gastrointestinal function, a suitable amount of gastric acidity is conducive to food digestion and absorption and does not cause significant stomach damage.
In general, one to two cups of coffee (about 150 ml per cup) are consumed daily and the body is well adapted to this change in stomach acid.
However, the situation is different for specific groups. For those suffering from stomach ulcer and stomach diseases such as gastric inflammation, the stomach mucous membrane itself is in a more fragile state. At this point, the gastric acid from caffeine irritation may further irritate the damaged mucous membranes and aggravate symptoms of stomach discomfort, such as stomach pain, antiacids, heart burns, etc. In addition, groups with a more gastrointestinal sensitivity may suffer from indigestion and stomach swelling due to an increase in gastric acid genre due to coffee.
In addition to caffeine, the way in which coffee is consumed is closely related to whether it hurts the stomach. It’s not a healthy habit to drink coffee without a stomach. In an empty abdominal state, there is no food in the stomach to cushion gastric acid, and caffeine directly stimulates gastric mucous membranes and can cause stomach discomfort. On the contrary, if coffee is consumed between half an hour and about an hour after the meal, the food can alleviate the stomach irritation by a certain amount of stomach acid. At the same time, the temperature of coffee is also important. Overheated coffee burns the cavity of the wound, the oesophagus and the stomach mucous membranes, and may increase the risk of stomach disease in the long term. It is recommended that coffee be cooled to the right temperature before drinking, so as to avoid damage to the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, the types of coffee and additives can affect their effect on the stomach. Pure coffee is relatively healthier, while some coffee drinks with a large amount of sugar, milk, butter and so on may impose an additional burden on the stomach. Excessive sugar and fats slow down the emptiness of the stomach, causing food to stay too long in the stomach, causing problems of indigestion, gastric acid retrenchment, etc.
Attention should also be paid to the type and composition of coffee. Pure coffee is relatively healthier, while some coffee drinks with a large amount of sugar, cream, chocolate, etc., are not only high in heat, but may also affect gastrointestinal digestive functions due to excessive sugar fractions, which can be more burdensome to the stomach over time.
In the light of the above, it is not possible to generalize whether the consumption of coffee is harmful to the stomach. For most healthy people, proper consumption of coffee, with attention to the manner and timing of drinking, usually does not cause stomach damage, and may even have some benefits, such as promoting intestinal creeping. However, for people with a stomach disease or sensitivity, coffee intake needs to be treated with caution, preferably with the guidance of a doctor and depending on their own circumstances. While enjoying the aromatic and anointing effects of coffee, we also need to focus on our own physical reactions, so that we can have a scientific and rational drink of coffee, so that this little drink can give life life life life life life life life, rather than being a health burden.
