Starting the day with a good cup of coffee is a morning ritual for many of us. It gives us the dose of caffeine we need to get our day started on the right foot. But for some, that one cup of coffee in the AM can lead to an uncomfortable bloated feeling. There are ways to avoid bloating and still have that morning coffee.
Here are 5 tips so that you can enjoy your coffee without bloating:
Never on an Empty Stomach
When you drink coffee on an empty stomach, it can cause havoc in your digestive system. Coffee is by nature acidic – that acidity is what gives it the flavor we love and that wonderful aroma in the morning. Drinking an acidic beverage on an empty stomach is problematic because the acid interacts with your gastric fluids, causing irritation and bloating.
Many adults reach for a cup of coffee before they do anything else in the morning. Some will even skip breakfast altogether, counting on a couple of cups of coffee to get them through until lunch. If you want to avoid bloating, it’s time to change your morning routine. Making sure to have a simple breakfast with that morning coffee can eliminate bloating for many adults.
Avoid Cream or Milk
The term lactose intolerance is familiar to most of us and if you suffer from it, that morning cup of coffee can become less enjoyable. You may like your coffee with cream or milk, but that added ingredient may be causing your bloated feeling because of lactose intolerance. For those that don’t mind their coffee black, the easy solution is to just avoid cream or milk in coffee. That’s not the most palatable option for many though, fortunately, there are supplements you can take that will allow you to drink your coffee with cream – without the side effects of lactose intolerance.
Sugar and Sugar Substitutes
When you have a sweet tooth, it can be hard cutting back on the sugar, but it may be the thing that’s causing bloating – artificial sweeteners can have a similar effect. The body finds them hard to digest and avoiding them in our daily coffee can reduce the bloating significantly.
Water, Water, and More Water!
Coffee shouldn’t be the only thing we drink during the workday, but for many, that’s the reality. Simply substituting a glass of water for a cup of coffee intermittently can lead to fewer issues with bloating and it will keep your body properly hydrated.
Coffee in Moderation
Most of us have been told at some point in our lives that too much of a good thing can be bad for us. This is good advice for coffee drinkers that drink more than 4 or 5 cups a day on a regular basis. Cutting back our daily coffee intake to 2 or 3 cups a day may be all that is needed to leave the bloat behind.
It might not be the Coffee – Medical Conditions
Sometimes we make causal links between two issues that don’t actually exist. You may have been told by a friend or family member that coffee can cause bloating and assumed it must be the reason for your own symptoms. It might not be the coffee at all that’s at issue.
People that suffer from indigestion or gastrointestinal issues often make the mistake of assuming coffee is the reason for their issues with bloating. If you stop drinking coffee for a few days and the problems persist, that’s a good sign that coffee was never the real problem.
Consider Other Dietary Factors
Other combinations of food and beverages can also cause havoc on your digestive system. There may be other parts of your diet that you need to change and not your daily coffee. While this list isn’t all-inclusive, here are a few other common food items to consider that might be causing your bloating:
- Wheat and wheat products
- Onions
- Carbonated beverages
- Many vegetables, such as broccoli
- Beans and lentils
The best approach if you’re having issues with bloating, but don’t want to give up your coffee is to experiment with avoiding some of these other items that could be the root cause of your problems. With some trial and error, you may discover that coffee was never the issue.
Sit While You Eat
Many people enjoy drinking a cup of coffee with their breakfast while getting ready for work. The problem is we often do this on the go while going through our morning routine and this can cause issues with digestion. By sitting down to enjoy that coffee and muffin, you’re allowing time for digestion.
When we drink or eat too fast it will often cause gastrointestinal issues because we’re taking in too much air as we hurry to start our day. Waking up a few minutes earlier and taking the time to enjoy our favorite beverage and breakfast can be a simple fix for our bloating issues.
Coffee can cause bloating in some individuals. Most coffee blends are high in acidity and while this gives our favorite beverage the flavor we love, it can also create issues with digestion. If you experience bloating when drinking coffee you may want to consider a low acidity blend or decaffeinated coffee blend.
It is possible that your bloating issues may be caused by drinking coffee on an empty stomach. If you’re not a big breakfast eater because you’re always pressed for time, consider something that’s easy to make such as a piece of toast or a bagel.
In most cases, coffee causes bloating because we’re drinking it on an empty stomach or because it’s a strong blend high in acidity. In rare cases, you may have an allergy to coffee, but this is usually not the case.