For millions of people, the very first thing they do upon waking up is stumble into the kitchen and brew a hot cup of coffee before eating a single bite of food. But if you spend any time on health blogs or social media, you have probably heard the terrifying warning: drinking coffee on an empty stomach will burn a hole in your stomach lining and destroy your digestion. Is your morning habit really causing irreversible damage to your gut? We asked a leading gastroenterologist to weigh in on the debate and separate fact from fiction, revealing a far greater morning risk that most people completely ignore.