Should You Drink Coffee on an Empty Stomach?

Should You Drink Coffee on an Empty Stomach?

Sunday Shades and Your Coffee

You’ve seen it in the movies: a person waking up with eyes half closed, and sauntering to the coffee machine and hit the start button. Moments later, the coffee is made and the actor reached for the cuppa, sipping and contemplating the beautiful morning. While many people will have their coffee with breakfasts, increasingly many take to the idea of having an early morning coffee to start the day. Perhaps they feel good or they want it for that pick-me-up for the day.

Some nutritionists, however, advise against drinking coffee on an empty stomach. Your body produces cortisol when you wake up. Caffeine in coffee may raise cortisol levels further, creating an overflow of that hormone in persons who are already stressed. Furthermore, if you take it on an empty stomach, the caffeine will kick in considerably faster than if you had it with food. When you drink coffee with food, the effects of caffeine will kick in later. On the other hand, drinking on an empty stomach makes you experience the effects much more quickly. This causes increased anxiety and even jitters.

As cortisol levels are directly associated to alertness, some experts recommend that you consume your morning coffee until after your natural morning cortisol levels have begun to drop. They recommend at least an hour or two after waking up to have your first cup of coffee. Instead of coffee, drink some water first thing in the morning as you are dehydrated in the night.  After you have settled down at your desk and have scanned through your emails, then make your first cup of coffee.

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According to one study, drinking black coffee before breakfast might considerably increase the blood glucose response. As a result, if you rely on coffee to get over a bad night's sleep, it may damage your body's ability to handle the sugar in your breakfast later.

On the other hand, many people love to begin their day with coffee, present company included. They feel happier and fresher after that. But on a chemical level, it is also true. This is because dopamine, the happy hormone, is prevented from being reabsorbed into the bloodstream by coffee.  As a result, you may feel happier.

As mentioned at the outset, coffee consumption may bring on risks of increased anxiety, with or without breakfast. Excessive coffee consumption may result in unwanted side effects in some people. What is considered an excessive amount of coffee? Can it affect your health?

Various studies have been conducted across the world to investigate the health consequences of coffee, with varied degrees of success. According to one study, coffee is related with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, while another says it might lead to a higher risk of the illness.

Caffeine sensitivity varies from person to person. If you are sensitive to caffeine's effects, even tiny doses may cause unpleasant side effects such as restlessness and sleep issues. The amount of caffeine you're used to taking may influence how you respond to it. People who do not use coffee on a daily basis are more susceptible to its effects.

So, even though coffee can bring on a smile and perhaps a great day ahead, any increase in happiness, moderation is still key. So, should you drink your brew on an empty stomach? Well, it all really boils down to how your personal preference and how your body reacts. 

Even as you contemplate when your next cup will be, take a moment to think about how a good pair of sunglasses can light up your day too. Sunday Shades has supported athletes as they workout under the sun. They love Sunday Shades sunglasses as these are lightweight, do not bounce and are snug-fitting. Check them out at their online store today!

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