It is known for certain that coffee after meals is an excellent tonic. To improve digestion, many people consume it several times a day. But is this true?
In sunny Italy, it is customary to drink coffee after meals, since drinking the drink on an empty stomach is prohibited. All people in the world wash down their food with a variety of liquids, including this invigorating delicacy. But there are many nuances that should be taken into account when drinking coffee after meals.
How long after can you drink coffee?
If, after eating a meal, you immediately drink an invigorating drink, the undigested food begins to pass through the gastrointestinal tract, causing heaviness in the stomach and bloating. In addition, the digestion process has not yet had time to properly start. Chlorogenic acids and caffeine penetrate the walls of the stomach, leading to their irritation.
Therefore, you should know when is the best time to drink coffee. After a meal you need to wait at least thirty minutes. By this point, active digestion will begin, and additional gastric juice will help to cope with this task more easily.
It’s even better if the interval between a meal and a cup of Americano or espresso is an hour and a half.
What is the best coffee to drink after meals?
You should not choose dark roasted beans for preparing an after-dinner drink. They contain large amounts of caffeine. Preference should be given to a cup of espresso. The concentration of the alkaloid in it is relatively small, since the product is in contact with water for a minimum time. In addition, espresso will not be so harmful if you add a spoonful of milk to it.
Coffee drinks that do not contain caffeine should not be preferred. They also contain chlorogenic acids. Accordingly, the harm from coffee will not be much less.
Coffee after junk food
It is not always possible to have lunch in a cozy home environment. Therefore, you have to visit establishments that specialize in fast food preparation. There, in addition to all kinds of hamburgers and hot dogs, they also sell coffee, which many brave souls use to wash down their already unhealthy food.
Canadian scientists conducted a study in which volunteers who did not have health problems took part. Some of them ate only fast food, while others also drank several cups of espresso after that.
The results of the experiment showed that as a result of eating fatty foods, blood sugar levels increase by approximately thirty percent. Under the influence of caffeine, changes in this indicator reach sixty percent. At the same time, the risk of developing diabetes mellitus increases significantly.
Based on this, it becomes clear that when fatty foods interact with caffeine, especially if they are consumed systematically, the activity of the entire body is disrupted. People who eat fast food are strongly advised not to drink coffee after such a meal. The effect observed after it will last up to five hours.
It is extremely dangerous to drink coffee drinks with a high content of sugar and milk after eating unhealthy, fatty foods.
This further increases the concentration of sugar in the blood. The most dangerous is considered to be a soluble product in sticks, which is called “3 in 1”.
Equipment
In addition to the menu, pay attention to the equipment. If they save on it, then even more so on the quality of grain.
Holder coffee machine or automatic machine
There are two types of coffee machines: automatic and professional. If there is a machine in a coffee shop, don’t expect anything good there. Most likely, the coffee shop is just a name and the owner is focused on making profits. He can easily save on quality grain.
Photo: m24.ru
You can easily identify a professional holder coffee machine. There will be a coffee grinder next to it. The fact is that a holder coffee machine only uses ground coffee. There are models with a built-in coffee grinder, but in any case the coffee grinder will be visible.
In addition, in a holder coffee machine, coffee is ground into a holder, popularly known as a horn.
A professional holder coffee machine requires a number of skills and abilities from the coffee maker, unlike a machine, where you just press the button with the desired drink. A professional coffee machine is a sign that the owner is ready to invest money in staff training. And given the staff turnover in the catering industry, this is an indicator of concern for the quality of the product.
Automatic coffee machines are inferior to professional ones for three reasons:
- The automatic coffee machine is almost entirely made of plastic. Plastic absorbs various odors well, which later become unpleasant and end up in your cup;
- In order to form a coffee tablet, it is necessary to apply an effort of at least ten kilograms. This will allow it to cook better. In an automatic coffee machine, the applied force is weaker than in a professional holder. It is not enough to perfectly compress a coffee tablet. As a result, when the water passes through it, the coffee tablet simply will not brew;
- An automatic coffee machine has millstones for grinding grain. They need to be cleaned at least once every two days. But this procedure is expensive, so no one carries it out in practice. And since the millstones are not cleaned, soon the coffee beans in the machine stop grinding and begin to break. Accordingly, water under pressure stops boiling the coffee tablet. There is no such problem in a holder coffee machine: it uses already ground coffee, not beans.
Coffee grinder
Not grinding the beans in a coffee grinder in advance is the easiest and most cost-effective way to improve the quality of your coffee. Under a microscope, grain looks like a honeycomb. These honeycombs store essential oils, which give the grain its flavor. When you grind the grain, the honeycomb is destroyed and the essential oils evaporate. As a result, the coffee becomes tasteless. If you come to a cafe and see that the coffee grinder hopper is filled with grain, it means that most likely they do not make coffee here.
Terry towel
Pay attention to the terry towel under the steam outlet (element of the coffee machine for frothing milk). If you wipe the steam vent after making cappuccino with a rubber cloth, rubber particles will remain on the steam vent and may subsequently end up in the cup of coffee. When a barista begins to understand the intricacies of coffee, the first thing he does is exchange the rubber napkin for a terry towel. A terry towel is a sign that the bar is or has been used.
Arrangement of cups on the coffee machine
There is only one correct arrangement of cups. They should touch the surface of the coffee machine with the bottom. This is basic hygiene - the part of the cup that we touch with our lips should not touch the coffee machine.
In addition, cups on a holder coffee machine must be covered with some kind of cloth on top. The fact is that at the top of the coffee machine there is a heating element (thermal electric heater), which warms them up. The fabric on top imitates the atmosphere and allows the cups to warm up over the entire surface. This way, hot coffee is poured directly into warm cups, which better reveals the aroma of the drink.
Consider this advice as an additional one, because the bartender may accidentally place the cups correctly and simply dry the towel on them.
A common mistake is to turn the cup upside down to allow water to drain. But the option when the cup is bottom down and nothing is covered on top is even worse - then all the dust gets into the cup.
Bottled water
Bottled water in a cafe is a sign that the bar is one hundred percent engaged. The fact is that you cannot use tap water in the coffee machine. It contains chlorine, rust, and biological impurities. All this affects the taste of coffee.
You say, you can use a filter. But no filter will provide the quality of water needed to make espresso. Often, bottles of water are placed under the bar counter, and then you won’t be able to see them. Be careful, the owner of the cafe may put up the eggplants out of despair, because the establishment does not have running water. Then this is not an indicator.
Temper
A tamper is a tool used to form a coffee tablet through which boiling water will later be passed to brew coffee. Outwardly it resembles a seal, only it makes an impression not on paper, but on a holder filled with ground coffee. There are two types of dispensers: plastic and metal.
A plastic tamper is one of the worst indicators, indicating that you should not drink coffee in an establishment. A plastic tamper comes complete with a coffee grinder, and its radius is always smaller than the smallest holder. If you use a plastic tamper, then only the middle part of the coffee tablet is formed, and the edges remain untempered. When water passes through the tablet, it flows over the edges and the coffee tablet is not cooked.
Plastic distemper can be used in two cases. Or the owner decided to save 1,500 rubles and did not buy the required holder. Imagine the quality of grain in his establishment. Or the person didn’t know, which is equally bad.
Is it possible to drink a coffee drink on an empty stomach?
Speaking about when it is better to drink coffee drinks, before or after a meal, we can definitely say - in the afternoon. Drinking coffee before meals will cause the chlorogenic acids it contains to begin to create an acidic environment in the stomach. The result is heartburn. As a result of irritation, the mucous membrane begins to release hydrochloric acid, which also negatively affects the condition of the digestive tract.
The situation gets worse if you don’t eat anything immediately afterward. Hydrochloric acid begins to literally digest the stomach. In this case, gastritis develops, and an ulcer is later diagnosed. If other unfavorable factors appear, then the onset of malignant processes is possible.
General nuances
Natural coffee beans contain hundreds of components in different concentrations. These are tannins, vitamins, minerals, resins, essential oils, antioxidants and others. But the most valuable are the alkaloids caffeine and chlorogenic acid. The first is known for its tonic and stimulating qualities, the second – for its stimulating properties. More on caffeine:
- excites the nervous system, activates intellectual activity, concentration, physical tone,
- after 15-20 minutes the person experiences an attack of drowsiness and loss of strength. The body gathers itself and shakes itself, becomes ready for work,
- It is used as a remedy for migraines because it dilates blood vessels and relieves spasms. Useful for low blood pressure.
It is customary to drink coffee to get pleasure and cheer up. True gourmets believe that a high-quality product does not require any flavoring additives. Properly roasted, ground and cooked grains have a rich smell and taste that will be spoiled by a spoonful of sugar or milk. Apart from this, the pure drink contains only 0-1 kcal, which is important for those who count calories and want to quickly lose weight.
Most of the time, people drink espresso, Turkish coffee and latte. If everything is clear with the former, then what about the latter? Latte is coffee with milk and milk foam. It is drunk through a straw, and the foam can be eaten separately with a spoon. After serving, pour sugar into a glass, stir with a straw if desired, and then enjoy the taste.
If coffee is prepared with alcohol, for example, cognac, the two drinks are combined in one container or drunk separately.
Both options are considered correct. Viennese coffee is served with water to wash down the sweet flavor of the cream.
There are several rules, following which will not harm your health, but will only bring benefit and pleasure.
Take this test and find out which drink is best for you.
1. Coffee in the morning It’s really good to drink coffee during the day, but not immediately after waking up. Recent studies have shown that the best time to make coffee is the 2nd hour after waking up. Everything depends on the functioning of the body. In order for the body to awaken, the hormone cortisol is produced, or, in other words, the stress hormone. If you additionally drink a cup of coffee, the effect of cortisol will increase, but after 1 hour the effect will disappear and the body will require a new dose of replenishment. That is why it is correct to drink a cup of drink 1-2 hours after waking up.
2. Do not drink on an empty stomach Many people ask, is it possible to drink coffee on an empty stomach? This is harmful, especially for those who have stomach problems. Chlorogenic acid, entering the stomach, provokes the production of gastric juice and hydrochloric acid. Because the organ is empty, a brutal environment appears in it, hydrochloric acid begins to irritate the walls of the stomach and can lead to the formation of ulcers. This is why many people feel bouts of heartburn and abdominal pain.
3. Before or after food It is best to drink the drink after food, approximately 1-2 hours later. The body still has enough time to basically digest the food that has entered the stomach. If you wash down breakfast or lunch with a cup of coffee, its components will bind to food particles and make them more difficult to break down and digest. This will create a feeling of heaviness in the tummy and stimulate the formation of ballast in the intestinal tract. It is best to drink coffee at 11 a.m. and 2-3 p.m. In the evening, the drink is contraindicated because it contributes to the development of insomnia. This is a proven fact.
4. With or without milk There are many different opinions about consuming a drink with milk. First, let's talk about why it is added to coffee. Firstly, it’s delicious. Milk hides the pronounced bitterness of the drink, if any, and makes the taste more delicate and richer. In addition, it is believed that coffee removes calcium from the body. And milk makes up for his losses. It is worth seeing about the abundance of recipes for making coffee with milk and how tasty such drinks are. Not enough people will refuse cappuccino or latte.
There is a worldview that such a combination is harmful. Why can't you add milk to coffee? This makes the drink high in calories. Any portion of cream or full-fat milk in a cup increases the calorie content of the drink by 30-50 kcal. But that's not all. There is evidence that milk fats, when combined with the components of coffee beans, form conglomerates that are difficult for digestion; they settle on the walls of the intestinal tract, turning into waste.
5. Taboos for pregnant and nursing mothers During pregnancy, any stimulating drinks increase the risk of developing uterine tone, and this is dangerous for bearing a baby. In addition, coffee is considered an allergenic drink. Pediatricians are convinced that the constant consumption of coffee by pregnant women increases the risk of developing food allergies in newborns. This is especially serious when one of the parents also suffers from any type of allergy.
The drink is also not recommended for nursing mothers. If a woman drinks coffee, some of its components pass through breast milk to the baby. This is fraught with increased excitability, poor sleep, and problems with the baby’s digestion. Both ground and instant products are prohibited here.
As for children and at what age they can be given coffee, there is no general idea. If tea can be offered without fear from the age of 12, then coffee from approximately the same age. If the baby has problems with the heart and stomach, then the drink is generally contraindicated. But for frequent headaches and hypotension, children are given natural coffee. Here the question of how old the child is is more secondary, but the age limit applies up to 10 years.
Coffee for weight loss: before or after meals
In order to lose excess weight, it is recommended to drink green coffee rich in chlorogenic acid. The drink is brewed according to the same procedure as black, but its taste is not nearly as rich. To lose weight, you should drink it half an hour before meals. Due to this, the body has time to prepare for the process of digesting food. In addition, the feeling of hunger is suppressed. Accordingly, a significantly smaller portion is eaten, and it is digested faster.
You can follow this regimen, but not in the morning. Drinking this drink on an empty stomach is harmful. In order to lose weight, you need to drink about six cups per day. This will also negatively affect your well-being and health. A safe norm is no more than three cups per day.
For weight loss, it is better to drink green tea with lemon. It does not have such an aggressive effect and is more useful.
There are many dangerous coffee diets and fasting days on this drink. It may be possible to lose weight with their help, but this will cause significant harm to the excretory, nervous and digestive systems. Therefore, you should not resort to such radical methods.
Lovers of aromatic espresso, delicate cappuccino and latte often resort to drinking them during meals. Such actions are highly undesirable. To avoid harm to health, any coffee drinks should be drunk at least half an hour after a meal and under no circumstances before it.
Useful tips
What products can we replace salt with?
Experts advise drinking a glass of clean water immediately after waking up, before breakfast. This will allow all systems and organs to start working. The body will be ready to receive breakfast. During meals, you can drink no more than 1 glass of water, not cold. It is very useful to use herbal infusions and ginger tea. This product has a beneficial effect on the digestive organs.
But you should avoid a lot of salt. A meal that is too salty will provoke extreme thirst. To avoid the need to drink, food should be chewed thoroughly. To digest and assimilate meat and fish dishes as quickly as possible, you should wash them down with pomegranate juice or rosehip decoction.
