7 Foods To Avoid On An Empty Stomach If You Want To Stay Healthy
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With the wave of fit and fab doing the rounds, more and more people are jumping onto the healthy-eating bandwagon. And we tend to assume that anything that’s unprocessed is healthy. However, mindless consumption of (apparently) healthy foods can prove to be more of a bane than a boon. It’s all about understanding your food better. Only when you know the composition of your food will you be able to master the art of eating right. It is important to know what to eat at what point of the day. And most of us err in this realm. On an empty stomach, we reach out for what’s easily available and end up eating foods that could cause adverse reactions in the stomach. Most common foods when eaten on an empty stomach can mess up your system.
So, in that spirit, here’s a list of foods you should avoid eating first thing in the morning!
1. Coffee And Tea
Who wouldn’t love a cup of coffee or tea first thing in the morning to get us on our toes and start the day? Although these beverages give a push to our sleepy selves, they do more bad than good for our stomach. Coffee and tea are both diuretics (read: increase production of urine) and bladder irritants. The intake of coffee or tea induces the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. Since there is nothing that the acid can act on in the stomach, this can damage the lining of the stomach, thereby causing heartburn or indigestion (1).
2. Citrus Fruits
Fruits are good for us, but even an elixir taken at the wrong time can be poisonous. Eating citrus fruits on an empty tummy may increase acid production and also irritate the lower esophagus. Many of us love starting our day with grapefruit or oranges, but this just makes the stomach acidic. If the fruits are high in fiber (like guava and oranges), it could also slow down digestion.
3. Bananas
Bananas are an excellent source of magnesium, potassium, and fiber. Despite this, they are not good for us on an empty stomach. Dr. Anju Sood, a nutritionist, says that the high magnesium content in bananas can cause an imbalance between the magnesium and calcium in our body, leading to cardiovascular diseases (2). However, bananas do well in a team. Team the bananas up with some dry fruits or apples to reduce the acidic content. In addition to causing bowel problems, consuming bananas on an empty stomach can leave you feeling tired and sleepy.
4. Raw Vegetables
Those of you who believe that anything that’s green and unprocessed is good for you, let’s take a minute and pop that bubble for you. Raw vegetables and salads are good for you, only when you eat the right ones at the right time. Munching on salads first thing after you wake up overloads the stomach. This happens because raw veggies are rich in coarse fiber, and the stomach has to put in extra effort to digest that. In some cases, starting your day with uncooked vegetables can give you an unpleasant abdominal pain.
4. Sugary Foods
Most of us believe that a glass of fresh juice is healthier than eating a bowl of fruits. The fact is that a tall glass of fresh juice is loaded with sugar, so we are basically drinking sugar. And needless to say, starting your day with just sugar is a big no-no. When you wake up from your slumber, remember that all your other organs, too, were at rest. You can’t expect them to get to work immediately. Sugar intake on an empty tummy can cause an overload on the liver and pancreas. So, it’s best to avoid any sweets, fruit juices, or processed sugar when you have nothing in the stomach.
5. Tomatoes
Like most foods listed here, tomatoes are great for your body as they are rich in vitamin C, but still not the best choice when you have an empty stomach. The presence of tannic acid in tomatoes increases the acidity in the stomach (3). The acids and astringents tomatoes possess react with the gastrointestinal acids. This reaction may result in ‘stomach stones’ or gastric problems (4).
6. Yogurt
Yogurt is a highly recommended probiotic food. However, the problem with consuming yogurt before you eat anything else is that it reaps no benefit. The lactic acid producing-bacteria perish in the stomach’s hydrochloric acid if there is nothing else to aid the yogurt. It’s like a fight between two cops – both are right, but just not aware of that, and they end up fighting one another. In this case, leading to a tummy upset.
7. Spicy Food
First of all, kudos to you if you choose to eat some spicy food on an empty stomach. That’s some great showcase of enthusiasm and tolerance (also, that’s the kind of tolerance India needs to cultivate). Spicy foods are pungent in nature and digging into them first thing in the morning can irritate the stomach, leading to acidic reactions, cramps, and indigestion. You might have to spend the rest of the day in the loo, you know?
While all the aforementioned foods are healthy in nature and are necessary for a balanced diet, consuming them on an empty stomach can result in acidic reactions and tummy discomfort. So, before you run your errands and get busy with work, remember to get a wholesome breakfast that’s not hard on your stomach. Wouldn’t we all love some breakfast in bed? If you’re lucky to enough to get that, thank your lucky stars!
