While coffee or any other hot beverage might not give you hiccups every time (or at all), it’s important to know that hiccups are mostly caused by a sudden change or irritation that your body hasn’t anticipated, according to a 2012 article in the Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility. A rapid change in the temperature of what you drink can stimulate the diaphragm and lead to hiccups. This can occur with both hot and cold food or drinks. For example, sipping a scalding hot drink or consuming ice-cold beverages can shock the system and provoke hiccups.
Overeating can cause hiccups because your stomach hasn’t anticipated a large amount of food. Eating too fast can result in swallowing too much air, which can not only excessively fill the stomach but also irritate the phrenic nerve. Spicy foods like chili peppers can trigger hiccups because the spicy compounds can irritate the stomach lining and cause spasms in the diaphragm. The carbonation in some drinks can make the stomach distended and cause hiccups. Alcohol irritates the stomach and can often prompt hiccups.
