What not to eat or drink after consuming coffee

After drinking coffee, it is generally not recommended to consume spicy foods, high-sugar foods, greasy foods, caffeinated snacks, or acidic foods. It is also advised to avoid strong tea, energy drinks, alcoholic beverages, carbonated drinks, and high-sugar fruit juices. Detailed explanations are as follows:

I. Foods to Avoid

1. Spicy foods: Spicy ingredients such as chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns can irritate the gastrointestinal mucosa. Coffee itself is also somewhat irritating to the digestive tract. When combined, they may trigger stomach pain, acid reflux, or a burning sensation in the stomach—especially for individuals with weak gastrointestinal function, who should particularly avoid this combination.

2. High-sugar foods: Consuming high-sugar items like cakes and candies together with coffee can cause a rapid spike in blood sugar levels, increasing metabolic strain on the body. This may intensify feelings of fatigue and reduce the alertness-enhancing effect of coffee. Over time, this habit may increase the risk of obesity.

3. Greasy foods: Fatty foods such as fried chicken and fatty meats are slow to digest. Coffee accelerates gastrointestinal motility, which may lead to indigestion or bloating when combined. Additionally, greasy foods can mask the flavor of coffee, diminishing the overall drinking experience.

4. Caffeinated snacks: Snacks containing caffeine, such as chocolate and coffee-flavored biscuits, can result in excessive caffeine intake when consumed with coffee. This may cause insomnia, palpitations, anxiety, and other discomforts, disrupting nervous system stability.

5. Acidic foods: Acidic foods like lemon, vinegar, and hawthorn may react with caffeine and tannic acid in coffee, stimulating the gastrointestinal tract to secrete more gastric acid. This could damage the gastrointestinal mucosa and lead to stomach discomfort.

II. Beverages to Avoid

1. Strong tea: Rich in theophylline and caffeine, strong tea can overstimulate the central nervous system when consumed with coffee, increasing cardiac load. This combination may lead to dizziness, palpitations, and insomnia. It may also interfere with iron absorption.

2. Energy drinks: Energy drinks contain large amounts of caffeine and taurine. When consumed with coffee, total caffeine intake may exceed safe levels, causing nervous tension and elevated blood pressure, resulting in dual stimulation of the cardiovascular and nervous systems.

3. Alcoholic beverages: Drinking alcohol with coffee increases the liver’s metabolic burden. The sedative effect of alcohol conflicts with the stimulant effect of coffee, potentially causing dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. Moreover, coffee's stimulating properties may mask symptoms of alcohol intoxication, increasing the risk of unnoticed alcohol poisoning.

4. Carbonated drinks: The carbon dioxide in carbonated beverages can cause gastric bloating. When combined with coffee, this may worsen gastrointestinal discomfort. Additionally, the high sugar content in these drinks can destabilize blood sugar levels and diminish the benefits of coffee consumption.

5. High-sugar fruit juices: Consuming high-sugar juices with coffee leads to excessive sugar intake, increasing risks of obesity and dental caries. Rapid blood sugar fluctuations may also induce fatigue and impair coffee’s ability to enhance alertness.

After drinking coffee, maintain a light diet and wait 1–2 hours before consuming other foods or beverages. If symptoms such as palpitations or stomach pain occur after coffee consumption, stop drinking immediately and rest. Seek medical advice if symptoms persist.