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Does Caffeine Free Coffee Cause Acid Reflux?
Coffee may be an acid reflux trigger for certain individuals due to stimulating stomach acid production.
Some may experience diarrhea, bloating and jitters from caffeine consumption; if that’s the case for you too there are various solutions to reduce digestive discomfort while still enjoying your cup of coffee!
Caffeine
One of the primary triggers of GERD is caffeine, a central nervous system stimulant found in coffee, tea, sodas and energy drinks. Caffeine can increase heart rate, alertness levels and blood pressure. Some individuals may even experience anxiety or jitteriness from its consumption – it’s important to monitor how much caffeine you’re consuming especially if your stomach is particularly sensitive.
Caffeine can increase stomach acidity and worsen GERD symptoms. Reducing your coffee intake to an acceptable amount and switching from creamer to low fat milk or soy may help decrease these symptoms while simultaneously decreasing stomach acidity. Paper filters may be effective at trapping more of the acids that enter your cup of joe, or you could opt for decaf coffee if caffeine sensitivity is an issue.
Decaf coffee does not contain adenosine, an amino acid known to cause intoxication of some people with headaches, nausea, flushed face flushing anxiety trembling trembling trembling hallucinations after intaking more than 3 grams of caffeine daily – the amount found in one standard cup of coffee.
Coffee may seem to cause acid reflux, but for those suffering from gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), its acid can actually be to blame. Furthermore, eating foods requiring additional acid such as fatty or sweet items may trigger additional GERD symptoms.
Studies have demonstrated that eliminating coffee from one’s diet altogether or at least restricting caffeine to a lesser extent may help alleviate GERD symptoms, including reduced heartburn. But these results have yet to be conclusively demonstrated.
Research at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio tested whether decaffeinated and regular coffee caused gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in healthy subjects. Participants received a standard breakfast featuring both types of coffee before being monitored over three hours to see its impact on oesophageal pH levels; regular coffee produced a greater increase while decaffeinated versions did not. Regular coffee caused higher oesophageal pH while decaffeinated versions did not.
Acidity
Heartburn and acid reflux can be an uncomfortable reality for many people, but in the long run they can also be damaging. Heartburn symptoms may lead to chronic inflammation of the esophagus, increasing risk factors like stricture and Barrett’s esophagus. But fortunately avoiding triggers may help alleviate your symptoms; keeping a food diary can be especially useful in pinpointing which foods and drinks irritate your stomach; coffee, tea, citrus fruits/juices/tomatoes as well as fatty or fried foods are often culprits when it comes to heartburn symptoms; keeping track of these can help identify which foods trigger your stomach distress – most common heartburn triggers include coffee/tea/tea/tomatoes are all common culprits; once eliminated these foods will certainly alleviate some symptoms; drink your favorite beverages in moderation to help manage them further while trying to avoid eating large meals prior to imbibing them for best results!
Caffeine is a stimulant, and can trigger contractions of the digestive tract that lead to acid reflux. Furthermore, caffeine may relax the lower esophageal sphincter which allows stomach acid to flow back up the esophagus from its place in the stomach. Furthermore, caffeine may aggravate GERD by increasing production of stomach acid; by cutting back or eliminating caffeine intake altogether you could lower heartburn and acid reflux symptoms significantly.
One of the great things about cutting back on caffeine is that you don’t have to give it up altogether; simply choose decaffeinated coffee and swap in herbal teas or water in its place – such as matcha, yerba mate, rooibos or cacao teas that contain less caffeine.
If you’re still experiencing heartburn, GERD, or acid reflux symptoms, one way to alleviate them could be cutting down on coffee intake or switching from regular to low-acid coffee varieties like Swiss Water Decaf or organic varieties. Before making any major dietary changes though, speak to your physician first to help find an ideal balance that allows you to enjoy beverages you love without fearing heartburn and acid reflux.
Saturated Fats
Saturated fats are a type of solid animal and plant foods found at room temperature that contain solidified animal or plant foods containing saturated fats, including meats, dairy products, coconut oil, palm oil and other tropical oils as well as baked and fried foods. While it is difficult to completely avoid saturated fats it is wise to limit intake in order to help lower heart disease risk; saturated fats contribute significantly to raising cholesterol levels in blood as well as increasing triglycerides which increases cardiovascular disease risks.
Diets high in saturated fats may contribute to obesity and heart disease. To protect yourself, experts suggest consuming less than 10% of total energy intake as saturated fat. Replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fats may lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, reduce blood pressure, and promote better heart health.
Coffee’s acidity may lead to heartburn in some people and its caffeine-infused components can trigger an increase in stomach acids that irritate the digestive tract. There are various factors that influence coffee acidity such as its brewing method, amount of caffeine consumed, and when and how it’s consumed.
Cold brew coffee tends to be less acidic than its hot-brewed counterpart due to being steeped for longer. Due to this lower acidity level, this form of beverage may be an ideal option for those suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease or acid reflux.
Other components can also impact acidity levels in coffee, such as its sugar and milk components. Experiment with different varieties to see which ones don’t cause stomach upset.
Some coffee companies have promoted their drinks as stomach-friendly, such as the European company Darboven who first patented their drink back in 1927. Their Darboven coffee uses ground beans soaked for longer than usual in water before being filtered to remove sediment build-up.
Sugar
Coffee may not be a significant source of sugar, but it may contain other types of sweeteners which may increase stomach acidity and worsen acid reflux symptoms. As with anything processed or added sugar-related, any form should be avoided to protect from acid reflux symptoms.
Fructose can also contribute to acid reflux symptoms by overloading the system and leading to overproduction. Sources of fructose include sugary beverages, fruit and veg products, alcohol beverages, bread products and some breakfast cereals/dairy products.
For those hoping to enjoy the benefits of coffee without exacerbating acid reflux symptoms, there are a few steps they can take. First, avoiding drinking coffee on an empty stomach is crucial as this may trigger reflux symptoms; additionally using milk substitute can reduce acidity levels of your beverage and provide relief.
Alternately, decaffeinated or low acid coffee has been shown to have less of an adverse impact on lower esophageal sphincter pressure and thus less likely to trigger acid reflux in susceptible individuals. Brewing methods also affect acidity – dark roasts tend to be less acidic than light roasts.
Experimenting with different varieties of coffee to discover which is most suitable is important when dealing with acid reflux. You could also switch up your beverage routine with herbal tea, which has been shown to provide significant relief from symptoms. Although minty varieties might aggravate acid reflux symptoms so be wary when reading product labels! Also try cutting back on trigger foods like soda, alcohol, processed food etc as this could worsen acid reflux symptoms further. Keeping a food diary may prove invaluable in pinpointing which items cause trouble for you personally.