Are you having stomach pain after drinking coffee? Can coffee cause acid reflux?
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Coffee has been making its way through the hearts of the people since it was discovered. According to a study done by the National Coffee Association, 63 percent of Americans drank a cup of coffee every morning. So it’s fair to say that coffee has introduced itself into the lives of many of us.
But sometimes, things can get complicated. Many people report feeling acid reflux after drinking coffee. It varies from people to people, some people feel a mild burn, others feel like their stomach is on fire. We’ll tell you why this tends to happen and what to do to prevent it in the future.
What Is Overcaffeination?
Reflux can sometimes be caused by overcaffeination. It happens when you ingest too much caffeine, so your stomach can’t stand it all because the muscle that connects the stomach to the esophagus gets relaxed, and it creates an opening for stomach acid to come into the esophagus.
Your caffeine ingest depends on different factors, how the coffee bean was treated, where it comes from and how much you take in daily.
How Much Coffee Is Too Much Coffee?
According to Health Canada, 400 mg of caffeine is just enough for a day. That’s roughly 4 cups (0.95 l) of coffee. For pregnant women, they suggest an intake of 200 mg of caffeine, which is around 2 cups (0.47 l) of coffee a day.
When you’re at the store buying for coffee make sure that you buy a coffee that has low caffeine levels if you feel like regular coffee gives you frequent acid reflux.
What Factors Can Make a Coffee Bean Low in Caffeine?
It is important to know where your coffee beans come from, how they grew and under what conditions. Here are some key factors to help you neutralize your acid reflux when you drink your cup of coffee.
There are many ways to reduce the natural levels of acid in coffee beans. But one side effect can be that it becomes less aromatic. You can still sense that magical coffee smell, but not as potent.
Shade-Grown coffee
Coffee is grown either on the sun or the shade. Sun-grown coffee is cheaper to produce and has a lower quality. Coffee isn’t supposed to grow in direct exposure to sunlight! The thing is, it grows faster this way (but has much more acidity, and bitterness.)
Shade-grown coffee beans grow slower, but they have better quality, contain less acid, and since the plant can absorb more nutrients in the shadow it tastes better. So be sure to get shade-grown coffee beans to reduce your acid reflux.
Low elevations
Coffee that grows in low elevations contains lower acid levels than those that grow in high elevations (like mountains.)
The darkest, the better
The darker the roast of the beans, the less acid they contain, so consider getting darker coffee.
Decaf
Decaffeinated coffee, when it’s processed by the water mountain method contains less acid, this is due to the water process caffeine extraction.
Physical Factors That May Be Causing Acid Reflux
- Your clothes may be too tight.
- Lying down too quickly after a big meal.
- Eating too fast, and not chewing properly.
- Exercising right after a meal.
To Wrap up…
It’s important to keep every factor in mind for better stomach health and get rid of acid reflux. Your stomach will thank you and you will still enjoy a good cup of coffee every morning!
Related:
Caffeine Levels In Common Beverages
