Turkish coffee is one of the best ways to extend your cozy Sunday morning breakfast and take it to the next level with its incredible flavor and magical powers of getting people together to share great moments.
But Turkish coffee is not only an excellent drink to enjoy to your heart’s content but it also happens to be very good for your gut health.
Gut health is not only important for digestion but it also plays one of the most crucial roles in overall health, if not the most crucial.
If you’re healthy and have no pre-existing conditions, moderate Turkish coffee consumption may support your digestive health by improving your gut microbiome, helping with digestion, making you relax and supporting liver health.
So, if you’re ready let’s dive in explore the outstanding benefits of Turkish coffee for your digestive system in great detail.
Why does digestive health matter so much?
Nowadays gut health is all the rage. As we realize more and more that having a healthy digestive system is central to having good physical and even mental health.
Your digestive system is the first line of defence against toxins and harmful chemicals. Without a healthy digestive system it’s impossible to have a healthy immune system and a healthy body.
When people have digestive issues like like leaky gut, candida overgrowth or inflammatory bowel disease it not only effects their digestive system but it also tremendously lowers their quality of life by wrecking havoc on their whole body.
Digestive problems usually cause stomach pain and bloating. But along with that, they may also cause seemingly unrelated problems such as headaches, fatigue, skin problems and joint pain.
The reason why this happens is because when your digestive system is damaged, it can’t defend your body against foreign invaders such as pathogens, chemicals and even undigested food particles. When these pathogens enter your body, they end up directly getting into the bloodstream and your body reacts to this with an autoimmune reaction.
Scientists have even found a link between gut problems and mental issues such as autism and schizophrenia. (1)
This is exactly why, if you want to lower your inflammation levels and protect your body from chronic diseases you need a healthy digestive system.
What’s the digestive system?
Digestive system has such a central role in your body. It breaks down food to get the nutrients and energy out of it. It excretes waste products and keeps your body well functioning and mobile.
Not only that but digestive system also has functions such as storing extra energy for later use, filtering toxins out of your blood and playing a huge role in mental health by producing vital hormones. Digestive system has such an crucial importance for the rest of the body that it’s often referred as the “second brain”.
Around 90% of the serotonin in your body is produced in the digestive system. This is why if you’re dealing with common problems in the modern world such as depression and anxiety, first place you’ve got to look is your gut.
So now we know that digestive health is extremely important, but what is the digestive system comprised of?
Digestion starts in the mouth. This is why taking the time to chew your food properly matters so much for good digestion. Every organ that’s a part of the mouth is also a part of the digestive system as well; namely the tongue, teeth and salivary glands.
After that you’ve got the pharynx, esophagus and diaphragm where food is transferred into the stomach. In the stomach the food is broken down even more and some nutrients are digested.
Next stop is the small intestine, where the most of the absorbtion happens. After that, the remaining stuff goes to the large intestine and is gotten rid of by the excretory system.
Also spleen, pancreas and liver are parts of the digestive system and they function as filtration systems of the body and play an important role in converting food into energy as well as storing that energy for later use.
What are the factors affecting digestive health?
How you treat your digestive system directly influences its health. So in order to have a healthy gut you need to support its function.
- Eat a healthy diet. The most important step of achieving and maintaining a healthy gut is eating a healthy diet that’s high in protein, healthy fats, fresh vegetables and fruits. Avoid highly processed foods that are high in sugars and trans fats.
- Get physical activity. Exercise has magical benefits for your body. It not only keeps you in shape and protects cardiovascular health but it’s also crucial for a healthy digestive system. Lack of exercise can cause all sorts of problems in your body.
- Manage stress. Stress is like your digestive system’s kryptonite. When you’re anxious you feel butterflies in your stomach because your stomach is like a second brain and it’s deeply affected by chronic stress. Learn to manage stress for a healthy gut.
- Sleep. A good night’s sleep is important for digestive health and a well functiong body in general. Make sure to get 7-9 hours of shut eye every night.
- Fermented foods. Probiotics in fermented foods feed the good bacteria in your intestines, helping your gut maintain optimal health.
There are things that you can do that will destroy your gut health over the long term as well.
- Smoking can cause heartburn and ulcers and is bad for your gut health. (2)
- Alcohol causes inflammation in your gut and causes overgrowth of bad bacteria. It should be avoided for optimally functioning digestive system.
- Antibiotics can cause bacterial imbalances in your gut by killing off good bacteria along with the bad.
How much Turkish coffee is good for your gut?
When considering the caffeine content, the upper limit of Turkish coffee consumption seems to be around 6 servings a day. So, as long as you stay under that range, you should be fine.
But when it comes to gut health 6 cups may be a bit too much.
And since everyone’s body is slightly different it’s not surprising that different people may have different reactions to same amount of Turkish coffee.
So to get an idea you can start with 1 demitasse cup a day. Manage your consumption according to your reaction and listen to your body.
If you have pre-existing conditions affecting your digestion; coffee, including Turkish coffee may not be for you at all and you may need to avoid it until your problem is resolved completely. For healthy individuals however Turkish coffee is perfectly fine to drink and its moderate consumption comes with many benefits for digestive health.
Turkish Coffee Helps Digestion
Traditionally, Turkish coffee is consumed right after breakfast to start the day with a top notch digestion.
Turkish breakfast is known to be very large and made up of a wide variety of foods including not so gut friendly types such as bread, dairy and processed meats. And considering that, Turkish coffee does a great job of helping with the digestion of these foods.
Proteins and caffeine inside Turkish coffee gets your digestive system moving and working more powerfully.
Turkish Coffee Improves Intestine Function
Because there is no other mechanism to carry out this process, food is moved through your intestines via contracting muscles.
Proper contraction of intestinal muscles is key to healthy and effective intestine function.
Turkish coffee improves intestinal muscle contractions and therefore supports healthy intestine function. (3)
Turkish Coffee is Good for Gut Microbiome
There’s 10 times more bacteria in human body than its own cells. Our bodies carry so many of them and they’re so influential that we may as well be called bacteria carrying a human body around.
We all share our bodies with trillions of microorganisms and they have a vital part in our lives.
Not only that gut bacteria has critical role in digestion of food, but it also influences your mental health and even decisions as well. They affect your mood and defend your body against harmful pathogens.
Moderate consumption of Turkish coffee may improve gut microbiome and promote healthy digestion. (4)
Turkish Coffee Helps You Poop
Constipation is one of the most annoying and sometimes dangerous modern problems mostly caused by an unhealthy diet and sedentary lifestyle.
Having healthy and regular bowel movements is one of the telltale signs of a well functioning body.
Turkish coffee helps you keep regular by boosting your metabolism and gastrointestinal function.
Turkish Coffee Supports Liver Health
Liver is one of the most important organs in your body that’s crucial for good overall health. It’s the organ that cleanses your body from toxins and gets them out of your system. It also stores extra energy for future use and secretes important enzymes.
A well functioning liver is necessary for a healthy body.
Turkish coffee may defend your liver against nasty conditions such as fibrosis, cirrhosis and liver cancer. It may also decrease fat buildup in the liver. (5)
Turkish Coffee Helps You Relax
Gut health is not only affected by mechanical interventions but it’s also greatly influenced by your stress levels.
Stress creates a fight-or-flight response in human body which is harmful for the gut if it happens regularly.
Turkish coffee is an excellent beverage to drink when relaxing and enjoying the moment. It helps you get into a leisurely mindset. Therefore Turkish coffee contributes to a healthy gut by helping you relax.
Potential Dangers
One thing to keep in mind when consuming Turkish coffee for gut health is that moderation is key. Nothing can help you when consumed in excess and too much of anything can cause trouble.
All types of coffee are known to be acidic and can cause irritation of your stomach lining. So watch out for any unexpected reactions.
Don’t exceed 6 servings a day since it can cause symptoms of caffeine overconsumption.
Conclusion
Your digestive system is not only the part of your body where you digest food but it’s also a vital part in human body where harmful pathogens are eliminated and important hormones are produced for optimal health.
Healthy eating, regular exercise, getting enough sleep and avoiding stress are most important steps in maintaining gut health.
Turkish coffee is a delicious beverage that may support digestive health in healthy adults by improving intestine function, feeding good gut bacteria and aiding in relaxation.
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