9 Foods You Should Never Eat on an Empty Stomach

5. Soda and Carbonated Drinks

A cold fizzy drink might feel refreshing, but it’s a powerful mix of gas, acid, and sugar. The bubbles are carbon dioxide, which expands inside your stomach and can cause bloating, burping, and an uncomfortable, stretched feeling. Colas and many other sodas also contain acids, such as phosphoric acid, that can irritate a stomach with nothing else in it.

And then there’s the sugar. A regular 12-ounce (355 ml) can of cola contains about 39 grams of sugar. That’s more than the American Heart Association’s suggested daily limit for women, and very close to the limit for men, all in one can, and all absorbed quickly when there’s no food to slow it down.

What about diet soda? It skips the sugar, but it’s still carbonated and acidic, so the bloating and irritation can still happen on an empty stomach.

What to do instead: Begin your day with plain water, which hydrates you after hours without fluids. If you crave fizz, sparkling water with a slice of lemon or cucumber, enjoyed with or after a meal, is a much better swap. Over time, many people find their taste for very sweet fizzy drinks drops quite quickly once they cut back.

You’re more than halfway through. The next four include one habit that looks super healthy but may not be, and one rule that’s mostly a myth.