Substances Found in Coffee That Irritate Stomach

I've been around my share of people who always seem to have stomach issues (read: gastrointestinal problems) after drinking coffee. Frequent trips to the bathroom aren't enough to stop them from drinking it though. But a new study may be the answer to making coffee a pain-free experience: scientists have discovered substances in coffee that may be the culprits behind stomachaches and heartburn.

A group of scientists in Europe were able to identify that caffeine, catechins, and chemical substances in coffee cause the stomach to produce excess stomach acids. Also of importance — it's not one substance doing the harm as much as the combination. The hope is that this research will lead to a more stomach-sensitive coffee. In the meantime, the scientists are playing around with different roasting methods to see if a more stomach-friendly coffee can be produced. The good news is that they've discovered that the darker the roast, the easier it is on your belly. Looks like I'll be switching to espresso!