Beverages are an integral part of our daily routine, generally serving as a go-to pick-me-up, whether it’s your morning coffee or a late-night energy drink to power through an assignment.
These drinks offer an instant boost of energy whenever you feel exhausted, and in turn, uplift your mood. But your favourite drink may secretly be harming your gut health.
It’s already well known how the gut system influences other parts like the gut-immune axis and the gut-brain axis, with the latter indicating the relationship between mental well-being and gut health. Generally, your beverage serves as a source of comfort to relax, a shortcut to fixing your sour mood, but instead, it may be backfiring, given how closely gut and mental health are intertwined.
This gut-brain connection apart, some drinks directly impact your gut health, worsening your digestive problems.
Louisiana-based dermatologist Dr Mamina Turegano (MD) took to Instagram and decoded how each of your favourite drinks may not be gut-friendly. Gear up with the drinks she mentioned, with some of the most beloved drinks topping the list:
Coffee
Coffee can worsen or cause acid reflux. The caffeine can relax the lower muscles in your oesophagus, which can increase your risk for acid reflux.
Energy drinks
In addition to the excess caffeine, is that they also contain artificial sweeteners, and some just contain straight up sugar. And sucralose, which is a popular sweetener, has been shown to cause damage to your healthy gut bacteria.
Carbonated beverages
What people like most about energy drinks is the carbonation. If you deal with bloating, it can make bloating worse.
Whey protein drinks
They are great sources of protein, but they can be problematic in some people; they can affect gut health and worsen acne in people.
The drinks Dr Mamina shared and explained are all daily beverages that you have every day. They are not exotic or rare drinks but something you reach for regularly without a second thought, while your gut health silently pays the price. Dr Mamina revealed that moderation is the key, and it’s not required to cut back on them. Overindulgence of anything is not good, and being mindful can help you go a long way.