One of my favorite beverages is coffee. But, of late, I have been experiencing stomach upsets after sipping a cup. I have been wondering why coffee makes my stomach hurt but later found we are many in this.
According to my investigation, a good number of people experience an upset in their stomach after drinking coffee. This has prompted me to research further reasons and solutions available.
If coffee gives your nasty stomach upsets, it’s time to know how to deal with it. There are several factors that I will discuss below as well as some remedies.
Why does coffee cause stomach upset?
Coffee generally is important and provides a lot of health benefits to drinkers. But, sometimes, it can be hard on the stomach leading to discomfort.
These are some of the main reasons why coffee causes the stomach to hurt.
Coffee is acidic
Coffee is generally acidic. When placed on a pH scale, it scores 4.8-5.1. pH scale runs from 1-14, where 1-07 is acidic, and 7-14 denotes alkalinity.
Since coffee is acidic and different, people react differently. People with sensitive stomachs can suffer directly from drinking coffee due to irritation of the stomach lining.
On the other hand, acidity in coffee triggers the production of more gastric aid. It is the gastric acid that makes your stomach feel upset. Besides the corrosive nature of the acid, it can trigger other issues like bloating, belching, and acid reflux.
If you find your stomach getting hurt anytime you drink coffee; it’s time to switch to low-acid coffee. Also, you can use additives to reduce acidity or switch to darker roast beans.
If you have stomach ulcers, coffee will irritate the wounds causing a painful sensation. Also, acidity in coffee doesn’t auger well with people suffering from acid reflux and is likely to give you heartburn.
You are sensitive to caffeine
Caffeine sensitivity is another issue that makes coffee unpalatable to many people. While caffeine is the main ingredient in coffee that cause stimulation, it has the potential to cause stomach upset.
Normally, ingesting caffeine can cause increased contractions in the gut. This can lead to uncomfortable gastrointestinal stress, which can cause diarrhea, bloat, and cramping.
Besides jitters, caffeine is a laxative; drinking a large amount of coffee increases caffeine, which can cause stomach problems. The laxative effect of caffeine can cause the drinker to feel like pooping shortly after drinking coffee.
By nature, caffeine molecules can irritate the stomach lining. It also triggers acid production, which in turn causes stomach chaos.
Drinking coffee on an empty stomach
As we have seen, coffee is acidic; thus, drinking it on an empty stomach is a bad move. Especially if you have acidity issues or ulcers, coffee can irritate the lining of the stomach and result in pain.
Coffee on an empty stomach is not a good idea. This is common in people under intermittent fasting. Since coffee will find an empty stomach, it can cause corrosion on the stomach lining, causing an upset.
Besides, an empty stomach promotes maximum caffeine absorption, which increases intestinal contraction. These contractions can lead to spasms hence abdominal cramps.
Coffee additives
It’s common to add additives to coffee. The common ones are crema, milk, and sweeteners. Milk and crema contain lactose which can be an issue for drinkers with lactose intolerance. This can lead to bloats, diarrhea, and stomach cramps.
Apart from milk, sweeteners and syrups with non-nutritive sweeteners can also cause stomach upset. According to experts, these sweeteners can cause stomach problems for some consumers.
Remedies for coffee stomach upsets
Wondering how to stop the coffee from messing with your stomach? Here is how to stop your stomach from hurting.
Opt for decaf coffee
Decaf coffee hirritates your stomach less compared to caffeinated. Removal of caffeine in the coffee ensures your coffee doesn’t cause jitters or irritations to the stomach.
Although decaf has no caffeine, it is ideal to enjoy in moderation. Remember, the coffee acids are still present and can still cause some discomfort. However, caffeine is the main culprit in causing most stomach upset.
Choose dark roast coffee
Dark roast coffee is less acidic compared to light roast. This is because the compounds that produce acid degrades due to extended high temperatures during roasting.
Choosing darker roasts, however, should not be a reason to overdrink coffee. It’s worth noting that caffeinated dark roast can still cause stomach upsets.
Low acid coffee
These days, it is possible to get organic and low-acid coffee. Some, like Fabula or Lifeboost, offer the perfect coffee for people who can’t handle regular coffee.
Low-acid coffee is grown in high elevations without chemicals which gives it more benefits; if regular coffee gives stomach, try low-acid coffee before giving up on coffee.
Make cold-brew coffee
Cold brew is one of the sweetest coffee you can easily prepare. It’s sweet due to the slow process that allows slow extraction of useful coffee phytochemicals.
Since the process doesn’t allow much caffeine extraction, the brew is always smooth and soft on the stomach. Actually, experts have it that cold brew coffee is less acidic than hot. The main reason is because of fewer extraction of irritating chemicals.
Final words
Coffee can have awful effects on the body despite having many beneficial effects. If you have been asking, “why does coffee make my stomach hurt?” Now you know the reasons. Also, you can choose coffee that is less likely to hurt your stomach.
