There’s nothing better than a fresh cup of coffee in the morning, but there can be slight downsides that come along with it. As coffee is known as a diuretic, it can often have dehydrating effects on the consumer. The acidity in coffee can also result in bad breath after drinking it. Fortunately, all it takes to combat these effects is to drink some water. Here are the two reasons as to why you should drink water after coffee explained.

Coffee is a Diuretic

Research has shown that caffeine acts as a diuretic, which can have a dehydrating effect on your body. However, this study, interestingly enough, explains that the more often you drink it, the less likely it is to dehydrate you. If you drink coffee regularly, your body eventually adjusts to it and the diuretic effects are no longer as prominent. But if you stop drinking coffee and then start again or just enjoy a cup once in a while, make sure to drink one cup of water for every cup of coffee you drink. Over time dehydration can have an impact on your skin, your digestive system and your energy levels so it’s important to stay hydrated. So while drinking water after coffee is required more so for those irregular coffee drinkers, it’s still important to keep your body as hydrated as possible for overall better health.

Coffee Can Result in Bad Breath

The acidity levels in coffee can produce bad breath so it’s important to drink water right after to avoid that. The sulfur compound within coffee can dry your mouth out and slow down saliva production. Saliva plays an important role in the mouth with keeping bacteria from overpopulating, which inevitably results in bad breath. So after you drink a cup of coffee, remember to drink a glass of water to keep things in an optimized state and your breath smelling fresh.