Coffee Is Bad For Heartburn

Q: Coffee is bad for heartburn. What about green tea and chamomile?

A:If you want to avoid the heartburn associated with coffee, first you must understand that the residues in traditionally brewed coffee are what contains the most caffeine and acids. Second, is the fact that these oils are released when you bring very hot water in contact with the ground roasted beans (brewing, boiling or steam espresso). There is a way around this. You can purchase a cold water extraction system such as the Toddy or the Filtron system which uses cold water to extract the flavorful essences from the coffee beans and filters it through a thick fibrous pad. The resultant concentrated extract is then mixed with boiling water and a very smooth cup of coffee can be enjoyed. Warning: Some coffee

lovers do not like this method as they have become quite addicted to the acid and sludge in coffee and the taste of extracted coffee is too smooth for them, however I love both types. The process is safe for people with active ulcers and has less caffeine than traditional brewed coffee I recommend it to all of my patients who complain of GI problems but want to drink coffee still Also check with your physician as heartburn may be a sign of other problems including ulcer, reflux, heart disease, gallstones, and/or infection with Helicobacter pylori, the bacteria that can cause ulcers and is associated with some stomach cancers There are medications that can eliminate symptoms as well