Coffee is often a cause of heartburn, so the ones who love this beverage need to learn the connection between coffee and heartburn. This health problem is caused by the excess of stomach acid that reaches in the esophagus.
These acids lead to an irritation which later turns into a burning sensation. The main substance in coffee responsible for this reaction is caffeine, which can also be found in:
- Chocolate
- Cocoa
- Caffeinated tea
- Aerated drinks
According to some studies, coffee does not influence directly the production of gastric acid. Instead, it weakens the muscle around the esophagus near the entrance to the stomach. As the esophageal sphincter loses strength, the acid goes up the esophagus and leads to heartburn.
One of the possible solutions is to brew your coffee with a device that steams the coffee beans at a very high pressure. This process removes the caffeine, but leaves the taste that everyone appreciates. If you used to drink coffee in the past, but gave up this habit because of heartburn, this technique makes coffee safe for you.
Research showed that coffee contains more antioxidants than apples, tomatoes and cranberries, so giving it up may not be the best decision ever. If you use the aforementioned method, coffee will no longer be dangerous. However, the other foods and beverages that contain caffeine should be avoided, if you do not want to turn acid reflux into something worse.
Caffeinated products can be successfully replaced with non-caffeinated soy coffee or alkaline-herbal coffees. Cold-brewed iced coffee also seems to have a lower impact on your esophagus. As a conclusion, if you are not ready to give up coffee yet, you can try some alternative brewing methods that make this beverage better for your body and thus, for your esophagus.
