If you’re a coffee lover, chances are you’re not interested in parting with this morning ritual. But if you have a delicate stomach, you might find yourself in a love-hate relationship with this popular brew. For people with gut conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s disease, or ulcerative colitis, coffee’s acidity may be particularly problematic, causing flare-ups and unpleasant symptoms such as cramping and diarrhea. For most generally healthy people, though, there are simple ways to make your morning coffee much more gut-friendly, thereby minimizing these uncomfortable issues. Here, I’m sharing my eight favorite tips that may help you enjoy your favorite drink without the side effects: Surprisingly, the longer the beans are roasted, the less acidic they are. A compound that develops in coffee with roasting, N-methylpyridium (NMP), blocks the production of hydrochloric acid from stomach cells. That makes dark roasted coffee, like a French or Italian roast, less acidic and possibly a better choice if you have heartburn or reflux. However, dark roasts have a stronger flavor and contain other compounds that may cause sour stomach. Try several to find one that suits your gut better. Fun fact: You can also lower the acidity of your coffee if you brew it with alkaline water. To make cold-brewed coffee: Mix low-acid, coarsely ground coffee beans with cold or room-temperature water in a glass jar. Cover and shake well. Let it steep in the fridge for at least 12 hours and up to 48 hours. Shake it a few times during this period to make sure it’s combined. Because the water is cold, this method requires more time to extract the flavors from the beans. When done steeping, filter the coffee using a cheesecloth, paper filter, or a fine sieve. It will be concentrated coffee, so you may want to mix it with additional hot water, milk, or dairy-free alternative. For convenience, make a large batch of cold-brewed coffee and store it in the fridge for two weeks. Start training yourself to enjoy coffee with less or no sugar. If this sounds like too much of an undertaking, aim for less than what you’re using now and see how low you can go over time. It’s also important to look at the big picture: If you drink only one cup of coffee a day and add only one teaspoon of sugar, it may be OK, but if you drink coffee multiple times per day with multiple teaspoons of sugar in each cup, or if you often purchase sweetened coffee drinks, make a conscious decision to cut back. If you go the dairy-free route, keep in mind that these alternatives may contain gums that help keep the liquid emulsified so it doesn’t separate. Gums are natural food fiber components, but they can be fermented by gut bacteria and cause issues like stomach pain, bloating, cramping, diarrhea, or constipation in certain people. Elmhurst offers a variety of nut milks that are free of both and sweeteners. Chicory root contains inulin, a prebiotic fiber that helps feed bacteria in your gut. If you have a healthy balanced microbiome, the fiber in chicory will “fertilize” your gut and promote bacterial diversity, which is something to strive for. However, if you have bloating, burping, stomach pain, gas, diarrhea, or constipation, chicory may make your symptoms worse as it may feed the wrong bugs. If that’s the case, consider working with a digestive health dietitian who can help you figure out your best food and beverage options.
