Is it safe to drink coffee on an empty stomach?
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TL;DR | Research | Experts | Bottom Line
I do intermittent fasting. This means I have my last meal at 9 p.m. and then I don’t eat again until 1 p.m. the next day. During that fasting window, I like to have a freddo espresso (a cold coffee drink invented by Greeks) or a cup of traditional Greek coffee in the morning.
But my wife and some of her friends have been saying that drinking coffee when I haven’t eaten anything will give me stomach problems. When I ask them what kind of stomach problems, they can’t give me a clear answer.
The last time we talked about this, I told them I would look into it myself and let them know what I found. In this article, I’m going to share my findings on if it’s safe or not to drink coffee in the morning with an empty stomach.
So, I looked at bunch of studies and listened to many Doctors and coffee experts on YouTube to understand eventually if.. Is it safe to drink coffee on an empty stomach?
Here’s what I’ve found:
TL;DR: Having a cup of coffee on an empty stomach is usually fine for most people, but it might lead to stomach problems like heartburn or feeling queasy in some cases – usually to people who have their gut flora already “disrupted”.
When your gut bacteria are out of balance, it can make you more sensitive to things like coffee, especially if you drink it on an empty stomach. This imbalance in your gut can cause stomach issues like heartburn or feeling sick. So, if you often feel yucky after having coffee on an empty stomach, it might be because your gut bacteria are out of whack.
There’s mixed evidence about how coffee affects how fast your stomach empties and whether it raises the risk of stomach cancer, so it seems like it depends on the person and their tolerance levels.
Having just a single coffee in the morning, an hour after you woke up, on a n empty stomach doesn’t hurt.
What Research Says
Nothing.. The research says absolutely nothing about Drinking coffee on an empty stomach. Most of the scientific research online is about whether coffee affects the gastrointestinal system and even that present a mix of benefits and concerns.
For example:
- A study looked at how coffee affects how fast your stomach empties. They had 93 people with tummy troubles drink a sugary drink, then on another day, the same drink with coffee. Most folks’ stomachs emptied faster with coffee, but some were slower. They also found that doing the coffee test twice gave similar results. So, they think coffee speeds up how fast stuff leaves your stomach.
- Another study checked the same thing (how quickly your stomach empties solid food) for people with stomach issues. They had 21 patients eat a meal with a special tracking substance. Then, they ate the same meal but with coffee added. Only 1 person’s stomach emptied slower with coffee, 6 were faster, and the rest were the same. They think something in coffee might help your stomach move food along.
- A 2009 study looked at how coffee affects your stomach and gut. People often think coffee causes gastrointestinal troubles, but the study found no link to upset stomachs. However, it can make heartburn worse and cause acid reflux. Coffee also makes your stomach make more acid and can make your gallbladder squeeze, which might bother people with gallstones.
- A 2022 review study looked at how drinking coffee affects your stomach and gut. It did found that coffee can make your stomach produce more acid, help your liver and pancreas work better, and even lower the risk of getting gallstones. Coffee also doesn’t seem to raise the risk of getting cancer in your stomach or other digestive organs.
CONCLUSION
There are literally hundreds of studies on coffee with mixed results. No study shows that drinking coffee on empty stomach is dangerous.
What the experts say?
After going through the scientific studies, I tried finding what the experts take on drinking coffee on empty stomach or not is.
Dr. Bonnie Jortberg
Dr. Bonnie Jortberg, a nutritional scientist and associate professor of family medicine at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, said in an article on Health.com that the idea of coffee being harmful if drunk before breakfast is just a myth.
She explained that most people won’t have any problems drinking coffee on an empty stomach, except maybe a slight increase in stomach acid.
While some might feel a bit uncomfortable, she clarified that there’s no proof that drinking coffee on an empty stomach causes stomach pains for most people. So, it’s generally safe to enjoy your morning coffee even before breakfast!
Dr. Eric Berg
Well known doctor, Keto advocate and YouTube sensation, Dr. Eric Berg (12 million subscribers) explains that drinking a small cup of coffee on an empty stomach can be okay, especially on a ketogenic diet. However, he warns against drinking too much coffee as it can overstimulate the adrenal glands and lead to problems like heartburn.
In another video on Bulletproof coffee – a blend of coffee, butter, and MCT oil – Dr. Berg supports that it aids in sustaining energy and entering ketosis, especially for ketogenic dieters. Dr. Berg suggests its safety on an empty stomach, citing benefits of steady energy and ketone production.
Dr. Stephen Cabral
Dr. Stephen Cabral on the other hand, supports drinking coffee after eating a meal, instead of on an empty stomach.
He recommends this approach based on Ayurvedic principles. According to him, consuming caffeine after a meal blunts the stress effect on the body, reducing the spike in cortisol, adrenaline, and norepinephrine levels.
Additionally, he states that having caffeine after a meal aids digestion – which, indeed it does.
He suggests that the only way to slow down the digestion and absorption of caffeine is to have protein and fiber-rich foods in the stomach. Dr. Cabral argues that drinking coffee on an empty stomach almost certainly increases nervous system stress levels and puts the body in a state of fight or flight.
Here are my counterpoints to Dr. Cabral’s claims:
In his video, he doesn’t really address the main question of whether drinking coffee on an empty stomach is good or bad for you.
He says that having coffee before eating “almost certainly” increases stress levels in your nervous system and puts your body in a “fight or flight” state. But what does “almost certainly” even mean? It’s not a definite statement.
Also, the research I’ve looked at doesn’t mention anything about coffee leading to increased nervous system stress or this “fight or flight” state he talks about. What is that supposed to mean anyway?
From what I can tell, he’s basing a lot of his reasoning on some traditional Ayurvedic practices, but doesn’t provide much solid scientific evidence for his claims about the negative effects of coffee before food.
While he suggests having protein and fiber before coffee can slow down the caffeine absorption, he doesn’t really explain why that’s necessarily better or worse for your health. Just seems like personal preference.
In my opinion, Dr. Cabral in his video doesn’t directly tackle the core question or provide convincing proof from research to show that a single morning coffee on empty stomach itself is definitively bad for you. I feel his arguments are a bit vague and unsupported.
Ms. Sushma Jaiswal
In another video, dietician and nutritionist Sushma Jaiswal, also supports that drinking coffee on an empty stomach is not OK because it increases acidity, which can lead to problems like irritable bowel syndrome, acid reflux disease, heartburn, or stomach ulcers.
Additionally, she states that the caffeine in coffee impairs the production of serotonin, an enzyme responsible for happiness and well-being, potentially causing depression.
Caffeine also causes dehydration, preventing the kidneys from filtering out toxins and waste effectively. Furthermore, it impairs the digestive system. To avoid these side effects, she recommends starting the day with dry fruits, sprouts, fiber biscuits, or coconut water before consuming coffee, as these can aid digestion.
My thoughts:
Although the statement that coffee impairs the production of serotonin is true, I don’t really agree with what Ms. Sushma Jaiswal is implying about coffee making people unhappy. Sure, if you drink 5 – 10 cups of coffee per day, not only your serotonin levels are in problem but your whole body as well.
Personally, when I drink coffee, I actually feel pretty good and energized, not sad or depressed. So her claim that coffee messes with the “happiness enzyme” serotonin doesn’t make much sense to me.
She also said that having just one coffee on an empty stomach can cause tummy troubles like irritable bowel syndrome, acid reflux, heartburn, or even stomach ulcers. But from the research I’ve looked at, that doesn’t seem to be the case. Those kinds of issues are more likely if you’re downing like 5 cups of coffee per day, whether you’ve eaten or not.
Ms. Jaiswal also mentioned that caffeine dehydrates you, but come on, we all know to drink some water too! Just having a glass or two of H2O with your morning joe balances things out.
Her point about coffee hurting digestion also feels like an overstatement to me. Unless your gut is already acting up, a regular amount of coffee doesn’t usually mess with digestion for most people. She may be right for those with existing tummy issues though.
Finally, her suggestion to eat fiber biscuits before coffee? Biscuits don’t exactly scream “healthy” to me. They’re usually full of refined flours and sugars, which isn’t the best way to start your day.
Overall, while some of what she said could maybe apply to certain people with specific health conditions, I don’t think her claims hold up for the average person enjoying coffee in moderation. They seem a bit exaggerated and not super well-supported.
TikTok Influencers?
You’ve probably seen those TikTok videos claiming that drinking coffee before eating can mess up your hormones and cause issues like period cramps, acne, bloating, and more.
Some influencers like even say it gave them “dysregulated cortisol” from drinking coffee on an empty stomach. But hold up – let’s look at what the experts have to say.
Dr. William Lovallo, a psychiatry professor who spent decades researching caffeine’s effects, says while coffee may absorb faster without food, it doesn’t necessarily cause a hormonal imbalance for most people. He thinks a lot of the stuff influencers post comes from personal anecdotes that may not be medically or scientifically accurate.
Registered dietitian Brooke Levine agrees. She told Verywell in an email, that there’s just no solid evidence that drinking a morning coffee before eating affects your cortisol levels at all. Your body naturally produces that stress hormone in the morning regardless of when you have your coffee.
So while those TikTokers’ experiences are valid for them, their claims about hormonal disruption from empty stomach coffee don’t seem to hold much water from a scientific standpoint. Doctors who study this for a living say it’s very unlikely to throw your whole hormone balance out of whack for the average person.
Ways to Enjoy Coffee While Fasting
Now, I understand that for some people with “sensitive” stomachs, drinking a cup of coffee with an empty stomach, might cause some “irritations”. Here are some strategies you can use to enjoy coffee while fasting, and especially if you have a sensitive stomach:
- Bulletproof Coffee: This is a mix of coffee, butter, and MCT oil. It provides energy and helps to prevent hunger during the fast. Here’s a recipe.
- Drink Water: Hydrate before and after your coffee. It helps to prevent dehydration which can cause stomach discomfort.
- Wait After Waking: Drink coffee at least 1 hour after you wake up. For example, if you wake up at 7 a.m have your cup of coffee at 8 a.m. This allows your body to naturally complete its cortisol production cycle.
- Pickle Juice: It can help to balance your stomach’s pH levels, potentially reducing discomfort. Have a sip before your coffee.
- Salt in Coffee: A pinch of salt can help to neutralize the acidity of the coffee, making it easier on your stomach. [1]
- Organic Cacao: Adding 100% organic cacao to your coffee can provide antioxidants and may help to soothe your stomach.
- Heavy Cream or Half and Half: Adding up to one tablespoon won’t break your fast and can make your coffee smoother.
- Cinnamon: Cinnamon adds flavor to your coffee without breaking your fast.
- Limit Coffee Intake: Stick to one cup per day to avoid overstimulating your stomach.
- Drink Decaf: If caffeine bothers your stomach, consider switching to decaf.
- Add Ghee: Ghee,can make your coffee creamier without breaking your fast.
- Cold Brew: Cold brew coffee has less acid but contain more caffeine.
- Drink Matcha Green Tea: Matcha Green Tea is a good alternative to coffee that provides caffeine without the acidity that can potentially upset an empty stomach.
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Bottom Line
Having a cup of coffee on an empty stomach an hour after you wake up will probably not hurt a bit – unless you have some strange gastrointestinal condition – caused by something else like smoking or pastries, sugar and a bad lifestyle overall.
The research doesn’t say anything, the experts support that it doesn’t cause anything, so my conclusion is that YES, it is safe to drink coffee on an empty stomach?
What do you think?
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