Can coffee and warm water help in digestion?

Welcome to Doctor's Corner, where medical experts from Makati Medical Center will answer health questions from readers! Got a question? Send them over to comment@gmanews.tv.

Q: My mom often tells me to avoid drinking cold water after a large meal and to drink warm water instead to help in digestion. Can warm water really help in digestion?

There are many benefits to drinking water with your meals, regardless of its temperature. It helps break down food, making it easier to swallow so you avoid choking. It also facilitates the digestive system by carrying food particles through your stomach and intestines, aiding your body in its job to get rid of waste.

Despite what you’ve heard, there is no scientific evidence that drinking cold water solidifies the fat we eat or dilutes our digestive enzymes. When we drink something cold, our body naturally warms it to body temperature.

But drinking warm water may have a slight edge over cold water. Warm water is generally “gentler” on the stomach because it more closely matches the body’s internal temperature, requiring less energy to process than ice cold water.

Experts say warm water breaks down food more quickly and softens stool, relieving you of constipation and making bowel movement regular. Warm water also soothes a painful throat and helps you relax.

Is this why drinking coffee in the morning makes me poop?

Yes, along with other reasons. Drinking coffee prompts the release of gastrin and cholecystokinin, two hormones that trigger muscle contractions in the stomach and intestines.

Coffee, whether caffeinated or decaf, contains acids and compounds that have a laxative effect on the muscles in our colon. And if your coffee includes milk and you happen to have lactose intolerance, you’re sure to be making a beeline to the bathroom after a cup.

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Carlo M. Cornejo, MD, is the Chief of the Section of Gastroenterology and Head of the Endoscopy Unit at Makati Medical Center. He is also an active leader in medical governance serving as Vice President of the MakatiMed Medical Staff Association and Secretary of the PCP MATAPAT Chapter.