Doctor: 'Secret' effects only come from morning coffee!

Morning coffee not only brings alertness but also countless health benefits. In particular, there is a little-known effect: Helps bowel movements work more smoothly and promotes laxatives.

And to maximize the above benefits, experts emphasize the need to drink coffee at the right time.

Why is it most effective to only have coffee in the morning?

Dr. Rosario Ligresti, Head of Gastroenterology at Hackensack University Medical Center (USA), explains: Morning coffee is the most effective way to promote bowel movements. The reason is because the natural biological rhythm makes the colon most active in the first few hours after waking up. At that time, coffee has a synergistic effect, becoming an additional stimulant, coordinating with the body's existing mechanism to help the bowel movement process take place more easily, according to the health news site Eating Well.

Morning coffee is the most effective way to promote bowel movements.

Photo: AI

Additionally, coffee also activates the gastrocolic reflex, which is involved in promoting contractions that push stool down the rectum. Dr. Kiran Sachdev, a gastroenterologist at UCI Hospital System (USA), said this reflex is strongest in the morning. If a coffee break alone is not effective, combine drinking coffee with breakfast to activate a stronger reflex. Drinking coffee on an empty stomach can also cause reflux, bloating, or diarrhea in some people, so it is best to drink coffee with or after meals.

According to expert Amanda Sauceda, lecturer in the Department of Nutrition at California State University (USA), morning coffee also helps "train" the body to form regular bowel habits.

Why does coffee have a laxative effect?

Caffeine is a stimulant that not only awakens the central nervous system but also promotes intestinal contractions, acting as a "natural laxative". One study found that caffeinated coffee increased colonic stimulation by 60% compared to decaf coffee or water. In addition, coffee also increases gastric acid secretion, stimulates the release of digestive hormones, and contributes to promoting intestinal motility. In addition, coffee contains many other compounds such as chlorogenic acid and melanoidin, which also support colonic motility.

To build healthy habits, experts recommend consuming only 2-3 cups of coffee per day, with a maximum of 4 cups. It is best to drink black coffee without sugar or with minimal added sugar, according to Eating Well.

Besides coffee, maintaining a high-fiber diet, drinking enough water, exercising regularly, establishing fixed meal and sleep schedules, and supplementing with probiotics are also effective strategies to maintain regular bowel habits.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/bac-si-tac-dung-bi-mat-chi-cu-ca-phe-sang-moi-co-185250922194021079.htm