This Is The Reason Coffee Can Cause Convolutement, Know 4 Ways To Overcome It

Coffee illustration (Photo: Pexels/Rodolfo Quiros)

JAKARTA - Although many people rely on coffee to get fast energy. Not a few people also depend on a cup of coffee in the morning to help with the digestive process.

"Coffee is a stimulant of digestive tract. Coffee increases gut motility, which means accelerating contractions that help move the contents of the digestive tract out of the body," explained Frances, Largeman-Roth, RDN, quoted by VOI from the Livestrong page on Tuesday, February 11.

However, for some people, coffee can actually hamper their defecation schedule. A cup of coffee every day can cause constipation. If you've got enough fiber, exercise, and water, but still have unexplained constipation, maybe coffee is the cause.

As we all know, coffee can stimulate the digestive tract and has an effective effect. Largeman-Roth says some people who may be very sensitive to caffeine, coffee can cause diarrhea, loose gut movement, and dehydration.

However, for some others, coffee can actually slow down the bowel movements. Coffee can block their intestines movement. If you get enough fiber, exercise, and drink a lot of water, but still experience unexplained constipation, coffee may be the cause.

What Causes Coffee To Be Convoluted?

While coffee has an effective effect on some people, in people who are sensitive to caffeine, it can reverse, cause diarrhea and dehydration.

"When you are dehydrated, the colon will absorb as much water as possible from food waste, which slows down the process of exhaustting through the digestive tract, creating harsh and sometimes painful feces," explains Largeman-Roth.

According to the National Library of Medicine (NLM), caffeine is diuretic, which means it can make you urinate more often by helping the body remove excess salt and water. Too much caffeine can cause dehydration, which of course can inhibit the digestive process.

Worse yet, the additional ingredients such as milk and sugar that you add to coffee can also exacerbate constipation.

"Although some tablespoons of milk may not cause a problem, if you drink coffee from a large glass half filled with milk, this could be a problem," says Largeman-Roth.

"The same goes for if you add some sugar spoons into the coffee," he added.

If you want to enjoy coffee without experiencing constipation, follow the following 4 useful tips from Largeman-Roth:

1. Limit Caffeine Consumption

Limit coffee consumption to two cups per day, this is also good for sleep quality. For most people, up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day is sufficient. However, keep in mind that the caffeine content in coffee products varies. An 8 ounce coffee cup can contain between 95 to 200 milligrams of caffeine.

"You can also try to start the day with regular coffee, then switch to defaf coffee afterwards," added Largeman-Roth.

2. Avoid or Limit Milk

Vegetable milk can be an excellent substitute for dairy products that can cause constipation. For example, sugar and coconut milk have a strong and creamy texture. Make sure to choose a low-cost brand. However, if you prefer cow milk, try it this.

"Instead of using skim milk, try using full cream milk or milk with two percent fat content, but only add one or two tablespoons," said Largeman-Roth.

3. Reduce Sugar

Reducing or eliminating sugar is also a good step to prevent constipation (and other digestive problems, such as stomach pain due to coffee). To give coffee a taste without sugar, you can add a bunch of cinnamon, a little almond milk without sweeteners, or cocoa powder without sweeteners.

4. Stay Hydrated

Largeman-Roth says try to drink a large enough glass of water when you drink coffee. This will help overcome the effects of caffeine dehydration.