As we age, that fourth cup of coffee may not go down as easily as it did in college, and some people are more vulnerable to digestive upsets caused by coffee. As with any food that enters the human body, coffee sets off a specific set of responses as it travels through the mouth, esophagus, stomach and intestines. Some digestive systems may be negatively effected by coffee, while some take it in stride.
Stomach Acid
Coffee contains caffeine and a mix of enzymes that stimulate acid production. If caffeine gives you a sour stomach, cutting it out of your diet may be the best course of action. However, "Scientific American" reports that food scientists have isolated an enzyme called N-methylpyridinium that appears to soothe the stomach. The enzyme does not appear in raw coffee beans; in decaffeinated and mild-to-medium roast coffee beans contain it, but it appears in its most effective form in dark-roast beans. If coffee aggravates your gastroesophageal reflux disease or heartburn, try switching to dark roast coffee in addition to drinking less.
Ulcers
Ulcers affect the esophagus, stomach, or duodenum of over 20 million Americans, according to the American College of Gastroenterology. Ordinarily, the tough lining of the stomach protects tissue from stomach acid, but sores caused by ulcers expose vulnerable tissue and can be painful. Most ulcers are the result of a bacterial infection or long-term use of certain medications. Coffee’s acidic pH of 5.0 can irritate ulcers on the stomach wall and along the esophagus and upper intestine. At best, peptic ulcers are painful experiences and at worst, they can produce swelling and internal bleeding that shut down the digestive system.
Constipation
One of the basic causes of constipation, lack of fluids, results from more than just not drinking enough. Certain drinks, coffee included, contain caffeine that, says the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, dehydrate the digestive system as they pass through. The news on constipation is not all bad, however. We may have to compensate for each cuppa joe by drinking an extra glass of plain water, but coffee does provide help for another cause of constipation: lack of fiber. In a study published in the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry," scientists established that coffee, while not a major source of fiber, has between 1.2 and 1.9 g fiber per 8 oz.cup.
Liver Benefits
Many of the myths about coffee have been disproved or put in perspective by recent research. One interesting discovery has to do with the organ that that processes fat and produces bile. In a study funded by the National Institutes of Health, Neal D. Freedman, Ph.D, M.P.H., an investigator at the National Cancer Institute's Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, reported that drinking three cups of coffee a day appeared to reduce the risk of progression of liver disease.
References
- "Scientific American"; Stomach Cells Happier With Dark Roast Coffee; Christopher Intagliata; March 2010
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NIDDK): Heartburn, Gastroesophageal Reflux, and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Peptic Ulcer
- Palatine High School: pH Scale
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NIDDK): Constipation
- "Scientific American"; Need Fiber? Have Some Coffee; Coco Ballantyne; March 2007
