Experts advise against drinking coffee or citrus fruits, carbonated drinks, yogurt, or sugary foods on an empty stomach because they can cause digestive problems.
When hunger strikes, you may want to eat the first thing you see. However, some foods and drinks do more harm than good on an empty stomach.
Below are foods that can cause digestive disorders on an empty stomach, especially when the digestive tract is sensitive.
Coffee
Avoid drinking coffee immediately after waking up. Coffee, especially strong black coffee, can upset an empty stomach because caffeine promotes the release of gastrin – the hormone that secretes stomach acid. This effect can lead to reflux symptoms, such as bloating, nausea, and vomiting.
Experts recommend eating a snack rich in protein or fat before drinking coffee. Foods like boiled eggs, a few spoons of nut butter, or even a little pure coconut milk in your coffee will help your stomach tolerate coffee more easily and reduce side effects.
Citrus fruits
Fresh grapefruit or orange juice is often consumed at breakfast, but you should avoid these drinks on an empty stomach if you have a history of digestive problems or a very sensitive stomach.
Citrus fruits like guavas and oranges can increase acid production in the intestines, thereby increasing the risk of stomach inflammation and ulcers. The large amount of fiber and fructose in these fruits can slow down the digestive system if eaten on an empty stomach.
You can apply the tip of using citrus fruits and drinks with carbohydrates, so that the carbohydrates help absorb excess acid in the stomach, reducing unpleasant symptoms.
Yogurt
Thanks to its high probiotic and lactic acid content, yogurt is very good for the intestines. However, consuming fermented milk products like yogurt on an empty stomach makes the lactic acid bacteria present in yogurt ineffective due to high acid levels in the stomach.
Furthermore, eating yogurt on an empty stomach can increase stomach acid production, cause gastrointestinal discomfort, and destroy some of the beneficial probiotics in the yogurt itself.
Doctors advise eating yogurt when full, so that the lactic acid is absorbed and does not destroy some of those beneficial ingredients.
Doctors recommend eating yogurt when you are full. Image: Bui Thuy
Carbonated drinks
Carbonated drinks cause gastrointestinal discomfort such as belching and bloating, especially when there is no food in the stomach. Bubbles of carbon dioxide from drinks can create a lot of pressure in the stomach, causing discomfort and belching, and can also lead to reflux.
As with sugary foods, drinking sugary fizzy drinks on an empty stomach can rapidly increase blood sugar levels, potentially leading to a drop in energy.
Sugary, spicy and greasy foods
Eating sugary foods on an empty stomach can lead to faster spikes in insulin and blood sugar. To prevent this, eat fiber-rich foods first. Fiber slows down the absorption of sugar, thereby supporting a slower rise in blood sugar levels. In addition, sugary foods can also cause diarrhea if eaten on an empty stomach. This occurs when electrolytes and fluids are pulled out of the blood and into the intestines, an attempt by the digestive tract to balance high sugar levels. The result is loose and watery bowel movements, which can be very uncomfortable.
Most spicy foods have a chemical called capsaicin that binds to receptors in the digestive tract, making the body think something harmful has entered the digestive tract, causing it to increase production of the substance. mucus and speed up digestion to eliminate this substance. This can trigger bouts of overdigestion, along with abdominal pain and loose stools.
The high fat content of greasy fried foods, such as french fries, onion rings, and fried chicken, can be too much for an empty stomach. Foods high in fat take longer to digest, causing more acid production, leading to stomach pain, discomfort, and general gastrointestinal upset. Foods high in fat also reduce the ability of the esophageal sphincter to contract, creating space that leads to acid reflux.