Dieticians reveal which foods you should NEVER eat on an empty stomach – or risk hours on the toilet

Caffeine addicts beware – waking up and getting your fix first thing in the morning could spell major trouble. 

A group of leading dieticians revealed coffee is among the eight things you should avoid eating or drinking on an empty stomach.

Perhaps more surprisingly, you also want to beware of citrusy fruits and even yoghurt, a breakfast staple, because it could lead to uncomfortable toilet trips. 

Less surprising is alcohol – consuming booze on an empty stomach might get you drunk quicker but it also makes you more hungover.

Coffee is the number one risk though, according to Dr Robynne Chutkan from Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC, 

Caffeine can stimulate the stomach to produce more acid, leading to reflux symptoms such as heartburn, nausea or vomiting, chronic coughing, bad breath and bloating.

The drug  can also relax the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and allow stomach acid to flow back into the esophagus, causing acid reflux. 

The gastroenterologist told Real Simple caffeine can have these effects whether your stomach is empty or not, but if you haven’t eaten, the impact may be more severe. 

Dr Tracey Brigman, a registered dietitian and clinical associate professor at the University of Georgia’s Department of Nutritional Sciences, told DailyMail.com: ‘Caffeine will be absorbed faster in an empty stomach, which could intensify any uncomfortable effects.’

To keep stomach issues at bay, dietician Johanna Salazar advises having a small high-protein snack before drinking coffee to keep you comfortable throughout the day.

Top picks include overnight oats, a smoked salmon bagel, a chia seed muffin, a breakfast sandwich or a serving of nuts. 

Foods such as this can absorb some of the coffee and will ‘make it easier for the stomach to tolerate coffee and [reduce uncomfortable] side effects,’ Salazar told Real Simple. 

Like coffee, the experts say caffeinated teas should also be avoided on an empty stomach. 

Black tea is the worse offender, as it traditionally contains more caffeine than other types, while herbal teas such as chamomile, hibiscus, and peppermint are naturally caffeine-free.

As with coffee, the dieticians recommend having a snack before having a cup of caffeinated tea to ward off any stomach upset. 

Along with caffeinated beverages, carbonated drinks like seltzer and sodas are also a no-no on an empty stomach. 

Dr Brigman says they can immediately cause ‘bloating and discomfort,’ and could lead to unpleasant belching as the carbon dioxide gas can get trapped in your stomach and cause pressure.

And Salazar warns if that carbonated drink contains sugar, drinking it on an empty stomach could quickly increase your blood sugar and be followed by an energy crash.

When it comes to foods, the dieticians also cautioned against another morning favorite – yogurt. While it may seem like a healthy start to the day, the experts recommend having something in your stomach first. 

Dr Brigmam told this site: ‘Dairy products can be difficult for some people to digest on an empty stomach, leading to gas, bloating and discomfort.’ 

And Dr Schopis highlights that yogurts contain lactic acid, which can irritate GI symptoms and also destroy some of the beneficial probiotics it actually contains. 

He advises: ‘It’s better to eat yogurt on a full stomach, so some of [lactic] acid can be soaked up and not destroy some of those beneficial components.’

Another breakfast staple the experts advise against is citrus fruit and juice. 

They point out the citric acid contained in popular morning goods such as fresh grapefruit, orange juice, and naval oranges, can irritate the lining of the gut.

As with caffeine, this can also can also relax the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and lead to acid reflux.

Dr Brigmam recommends consuming any citrus drinks and foods with high-carbohydrate snacks to soak up excess acid and avoid any discomfort.  

Moving to lunch and dinner, a greasy burger and fries may be appealing but, Dr Brigmam told this website: ‘High fat foods take longer to digest, resulting in more acid production, which can be an issue with someone with a sensitive GI tract.’

Also off the menu, if you are choosing something to eat on an empty stomach, is spicy food.

The experts say the effects of spicy food can be even more severe if you are not used to eating such sweat-inducing ingredients. 

Revealing why spicy meals could trigger GI distress on an empty stomach, New York gastroenterologist Dr Michael Schopis says: ‘Most spicy foods have a chemical called capsaicin, [which] binds to receptors in your gastrointestinal tract.

‘This makes your body think something harmful has entered your GI tract, causing it to increase mucus production and speed up digestion to remove the substance.

‘This can trigger excessive digestive moments, along with an upset stomach, loose stools, urgency, and diarrhea.’

The experts recommend building up your tolerance to spicy foods gradually, with the heat level increasing week by week or month by month. 

You can also play with the portion sizes, by having a small amount of spicy food to begin with as a snack and building up to a full meal.

And lastly, on a sweet note, the dieticians advise reserving sugary products for indulgence after a savory meal.  

Dr Brigmam concludes: ‘For someone who is watching their blood sugar levels, having sugary foods or beverages on an empty stomach can result in a blood sugar spike.

‘This could then be followed by a huge energy crash. Having something in your stomach before hand will help you to balance these levels better.’ 

Dr Chutkan recommends eating high-fiber or high-carbohydrate foods first to slow down the absorption of sugar.