Why Coffee Is Actually A Laxative

Why does coffee have the same effects on our body as a laxative?

Though many people are quick to blame caffeine for coffee's laxative properties, the truth is that if that were the case, soda, tea, and energy drinks would have the same effects.

Unless you've built up a high tolerance, for many people, a cup of coffee is followed by a trip to the restroom. This isn't because of the hefty amount of caffeine in your cup, though; the reasons coffee is actually a laxative all comes down to science.

According to Medical Daily, coffee's acidity helps with stimulating the distal colon, which results in waste quickly dispelling from the body. There are over 1,000 different compounds found in a single cup of black coffee, all of which break down protein.

Soon after we consume a cup of coffee, our stomachs dump its contents into the large intestine, which increases our body's level of cholecystokinin and gastrin. The purpose of these hormones is to help the body digest food in the most efficient and healthy way possible.

In a nutshell, coffee contains all of the right components to help the body's digestive system work at warp speed. Drinks like soda don't contain the same levels of cholecystokinin and gastrin as coffee does, which is why it effects our bodies differently.