It's time we wake up and smell the coffee beans.
Fans of the ancient Ethiopian drink only have one thing on their minds when they wake up: how soon they can get their first caffeine hit of the day. It's delicious and addictive (and that's a fact based on Swedish scientific research; caffeine hits the same parts of the brain as cocaine).
But despite how great it feels to guzzle down that steaming concoction first thing in the morning, gut health experts have warned that consuming it on an empty stomach is a big nutritional no-no. So before you race to the coffee machine or kettle, you should probably check out this video from nutritional therapist Olivia Hedlund.
The US-based expert posted the video to her 120,000+ followers, warning them: "If you drink coffee first thing on an empty stomach in the morning, stop what you're doing and listen.
"You are messing with your hormones."
Check out Hedlund's video below:She explains that the acidic nature of coffee wreaks havoc on your stomach, causing your body to enter stress mode.
"It literally causes our body to go into a stress response, to shoot out cortisol and to put us in kind of a fight or flight state," she says. "That's why a lot of people get jittery, shaky when they drink coffee on an empty stomach in the morning."
"But that's also why we get like that really good feeling where we feel like we can conquer the world," she says. Yes, Olivia, we know that feeling - you're preaching to the choir!
"I used to drink multiple cups of coffee on an empty stomach, feel like I was on top of the world and then I would have a bunch of hormonal acne and wonder why. It's because your body is stressed out," she adds.
Olivia recommends eating something prior to drinking your first coffee. According to her, it doesn't have to be big: "Have something small before you have a coffee, make it your goal, and I promise you will notice a difference."
Most users commenting underneath the video had the same reactions, with one person writing: "Damn as I just sat down with my straight black coffee."
"Bold of you to assume I don't live my life stressed constantly anyway," someone else quipped.
Well, there you have it! The coffee advice many of us probably needed to hear. Though, do with it what you will - nothing will stop me from having my hot cup of java.
