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The 5 reasons why you shouldn’t have coffee on an empty stomach

Coffee shops fight back against laptop culture
  • Two-thirds of American adults consume coffee daily, with many experiencing digestive pain and heartburn if they drink it before breakfast.
  • Coffee's acidity can increase stomach acid production, leading to discomfort without food to absorb it, though eating with coffee can alleviate these symptoms.
  • Drinking coffee on an empty stomach can elevate cortisol levels, potentially increasing risks for weight gain, diabetes, and heart problems, and may also impair blood sugar control.
  • To counteract these effects, it is recommended to eat food with coffee, with certain foods like bananas or cereal with almond milk being particularly helpful.
  • Choosing darker roast coffees or alternatives like matcha, which are less acidic, can also reduce negative impacts, as can eating food to slow caffeine absorption.
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