5 Foods to Avoid Eating on an Empty Stomach for Better Digestion and Comfort
Learn why certain foods, like citrus fruits and coffee, should be avoided on an empty stomach to prevent discomfort and support digestive health.
5 Foods You Should Avoid Eating on an Empty Stomach to Prevent Stomach Irritation, Discomfort, and Digestive Issues
Food consumed on an empty stomach can really make a difference in the manner in which your body absorbs nutrients and digests food. As hard as it is to deny yourself a snack or meal in a hurry, there are certain foods that can be uncomfortable or even hazardous to consume before you are ready for anything. These are five foods you should not consume on an empty stomach and why.
1. Citrus Fruits
Oranges, grapefruits, and lemons are all extremely healthy fruits full of vitamin C and other nutrients, so they are always a good option for any meal. But eating them on an empty stomach is frustrating. The high acidity of citrus fruits is not good for your stomach lining, and acid reflux or heartburn is sure to ensue. For sensitive stomach and acid reflux patients, consuming citrus fruits for breakfast will not only exacerbate the symptoms but also ā you bloated and uncomfortable.
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2. Coffee
A cup of coffee can be just the morning boost you need, but consumed on an empty stomach can harm more than benefit.Coffee triggers the release of stomach acid, which, without food to neutralize it, irritates the stomach lining. It can cause indigestion, gastritis, and even nausea. The caffeine in coffee can also cause an increase in cortisol, the stress hormone of the body, causing anxiety or restlessness.
3. Spicy Foods
Spicy food, however tasty and great, is also a food to be shunned when the stomach is empty.
The spicy chemical compound responsible for the food being spicy, i.e., capsaicin, will make extra stomach acid be released. In the absence of the food-stuffed stomach upon which to get absorbed, hot food will cause irritation, provide heartburn, or lead to stomach ache. In the case of acid reflux or ulcer patients, spicy food taken on an empty stomach turns into a pain.
4. Pastry and Desserts
Pastries and sweets are tasty in the morning, but they are not a good, healthy breakfast to eat on an empty stomach. Refined sugar foods create sudden increases in blood sugar and then a decline. This gets you drowsy, cranky, or lightheaded. Additionally, pastries don’t contain the correct proportion of nutrients to give you sustained energy, so you will soon be hungry again after consuming them. Rather, attempt to have a balanced breakfast consisting of proteins, healthy fats, and fiber to maintain your energy for the entire morning.
5. Carbonated Drinks
Fizzy beverages such as sparkling water or soda are to be excluded if one has not eaten anything. Fizzy beverages have carbon dioxide in them, and this would accumulate as gas and bloating in the stomach. It is painful or uncomfortable when one has not eaten. Fizzy beverages could also trigger acid release, and maybe this is what causes indigestion or heartburn. Water, herbal tea, or smoothie would be enough as a morning pick-me-up.
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The food that you eat when your stomach is empty can also significantly affect your overall day-to-day state. If you stay away from such things as citrus fruits, coffee, spicy food, sweets, and soda, you won’t be making your body sick and can continue to keep your digestive system in the best possible state. You ought to attempt to feed your body with healthily balanced and right meals instead, in an attempt to begin the day off right.
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