Can you drink coffee with Crohn's or colitis?

Is coffee inflammatory or anti-inflammatory?

Coffee appears to be anti-inflammatory as research suggests it may reduce your risk for:

• Endometrial, liver, and colorectal cancer^{ }
• Liver diseases, fibrosis (stiffening of the liver), cirrhosis, and gallstone disease^
• Type 2 diabetes^{ }
• Parkinson’s disease, depression, and Alzheimer’s disease^

However, there does not appear to be an association between coffee consumption and C-reactive protein levels.^{ }

Is coffee a trigger beverage?

Coffee is frequently reported to trigger symptoms in people with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.^{   } However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that coffee is a trigger for you in particular. In one study, 49% of people who reported coffee as a trigger beverage consumed coffee anyway.^

Tips for improving tolerance to coffee

If coffee triggers your symptoms, here are a few tips to try that may improve tolerance:

• Try decaf coffee instead
• Add milk or non-dairy milk to dilute your coffee. If using cow’s milk, fat-free, lactose-free varieties may be better tolerated
• Drink your coffee after eating breakfast so you don’t have it on an empty stomach
• Try swapping out higher fat dairy (cream, half and half, whole milk) for fat free and lactose free cow's milk, or switch to a non-dairy alternative
• Choose a non-dairy milk made with simple ingredients
• Swap out sugar for date sugar or decrease the amount of sugar used

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So, can you drink coffee with Crohn’s or colitis?

Yes, coffee appears to be safe to consume if you have Crohn’s or colitis, however it may trigger symptoms in certain individuals. If coffee triggers your symptoms, consider decreasing the amount you consume or having it after eating to improve tolerance.

As with all trigger foods and beverages, the choice of whether you consume it is ultimately up to you - sometimes the symptoms are worth it!