These Are 15 Worst Foods For Acid Reflux
Do you suffer from GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease)? If yes, you would probably be familiar with Acid Reflux. Even if you aren’t familiar with it, it is worth learning about it because the disease and its associated symptoms can wreak havoc in your body. This is a painful disorder that can be chronic and affects digestion and causes acid reflux.
Acid reflux creates a burning sensation that’s often referred to as heartburn. It occurs when acid returns to the esophagus after entering the stomach. This bothersome effect of GERD force people to experience breathing difficulties and keep grasping at their chests. It happens because acids flow backward, towards the esophagus, due to which swallowing becomes difficult, and you’ll feel as if there’s a lump in the throat. The problem then affects other body parts as well, eventually affecting your day-to-day activities and nighttime sleep. Certain foods can alleviate GERD symptoms, including acid reflux while some foods aggravate them. Want to know more about them? Continue reading to find out.
1. Fried food
By consuming fried foods, even if you are eating them in moderate quantities, you will be putting yourself at risk of digestive discomfort, particularly acid reflux. There’s no point in consuming fried foods because you will be mixing unhealthy fats with healthy fats. Fried or fatty foods are dangerous when having acid reflux because this cause the Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES) to relax. It then cannot perform its duties appropriately and proactively.
Wondering what LES is? It is a bunch of muscles the separate the stomach from the esophagus. The role of LES is to seal the esophagus’s bottom to prevent food from traveling back upwards after getting deposited into the stomach. When you consume fatty and greasy foods, the lower esophageal sphincter doesn’t get adequately tightened, and this action causes stomach acids to travel back up to the esophagus. So, ideally, you should be avoiding foods like funnel cake, French fries, and fried chicken as these take too long to digest, and that’s why the reflux system also lasts longer.
2. Dairy Products
It is commonly assumed that dairy products are entirely healthy at any and every age. That’s true to a great extent, but not for those dealing with GERD and acid reflux. Consuming full-fat to high-fat dairy products will create a feeling that your esophagus is likely to erode, and it happens because of their high-fat content. Moreover, there is sugar in dairy products, which further aggravates the issue as it can cause congestion, gas, and bloating.
While it is a fact that dairy products like milk and cheese can help you feel fuller for longer, those suffering from acid reflux can experience a range of adverse symptoms due to these products. Although there are several alternatives for cow’s milk that contain really low or non-existent levels of lactose, it will still put pressure on the tender LES. However, lactose-free dairy products won’t put as much pressure are normal, full-fat products would. Moreover, experts claim that acid reflux may also be caused due to intolerance or sensitivity to dairy products. The reflux may be a symptom of food-related sensitivity as it could be a non-allergic immune response triggering inflammation. Therefore, it is better to avoid full-fat and high-fat dairy products for a while to check if there’s any improvement in acid reflux symptoms.
3. Chocolate
Chocolates are hard to avoid. There isn’t any doubt about that. But, as much as you may be fond of this delicious and healthy snack, please keep in mind that chocolates, even heart-healthy dark chocolate, contain methylxanthines. These naturally occurring substances affect the central nervous system and relax the smooth muscle tissues inside the LES. This relaxation isn’t too ideal when you suffer from acid reflux and GERD.
Like the case with fried, greasy, and fatty foods, cacao can also weaken the functioning of the LES. There are two kinds of methylxanthines found in chocolate- caffeine and theobromine, and both are actually stimulants that generate those feel-good vibes we get while nibbling on a bar of chocolate. Furthermore, chocolate has high-fat content, which is another thing that people suffering from acid reflux need to avoid in their diet.
4. Carbonated Beverages
Generally, carbonated beverages aren’t considered a healthy choice of beverage. But, for those experiencing acid reflux, this is a big NO. If you often experience symptoms like acid reflux, think several times before opening that can of diet soda sitting in your refrigerator. Even if you feel tempted to take a few sips, avoid it by all means.
Carbonated drinks, including soda, can cause chronic esophageal distress, which isn’t too pleasant an experience, we say. That bubble you see in the drink can expand the stomach’s interiors and put excessive pressure on it as well as the fragile LES muscles. Apart from triggering reflux, sodas and other fizzy drinks can cause you to burp and bloat frequently. A better alternative would be plain water infused with lemon, cucumber, or ginger, as it’ll help your digestive system function and feel better.
5. Coffee
Let’s admit the hard reality of our daily lives: we cannot start without that necessary dose of caffeine. Mornings feel so much brighter when you are holding a warm and inviting cup of coffee. However, there is a dark side to this otherwise harmless beverage- it can cause burning sensations in your esophagus if you have GERD or often experience acid reflux.
That’s definitely not going to be an ideal start to an already busy and chaotic day. Is it? You may love your coffee but don’t forget that it is acidic. So by drinking coffee, you can exacerbate acid reflux symptoms tremendously. If you frequently experience reflux soon after having a cup of coffee, it is time to switch to green tea. It is a better substitute for a caffeinated beverage because continuous use of coffee can flare up heartburn symptoms.
6. Beef
We know life wouldn’t be the same without beef burgers and steaks, and it’s a staple food item in almost every cuisine worldwide, especially in the western world. But, what to do when you suffer from acid reflux because even grass-fed, responsibly, and healthily raised beef can contain a considerable amount of fat. As we mentioned earlier in the article, fatty foods are detrimental to your health because of cause the LES to weaken.
Fatty foods like beef can sit in your stomach for a long time and slow down the digestion process substantially. Even a 3-ounce serving of a loaf of 85% lean ground beef has around five grams of saturated fat. Can you believe that? Now, let’s put it into perspective- if you usually eat roughly 2,000 calories in a day, this portion of beef would cover around 25% of your average calorie intake. That’s not too good, which is why we recommend you limit the consumption of beef as much as possible if you want to avoid acid reflux.
7. Alcohol
Whether it is a date night or a night out with your buddies, don’t even think about pairing a glass or two of wine or beer with dinner in case you have acid reflux. We can understand you might want to splurge on your night out and have a good time but think several times before popping open that bottle of alcohol.
Wondering why? That’s because research reveals that alcohol slows down the rate at which food gets digested in your system. So, this means, food breakdown process is affected by alcohol to such an extent that it won’t be digested as rapidly as it usually would. That’s a difficult situation for your digestive system as the food will stay inside your stomach for a long time. This will most likely increase your susceptibility to a lengthy acid reflux episode.
8. Spicy Foods
Well, it is definitely a no-brainer. Spicy foods should be on your hit list when experiencing bouts of acid reflux on a regular basis. When someone suffers from acid reflux, their esophagus already creates burning sensations, and it feels like your chest is on fire. Now, just imagine the impact spicy foods can have on an already inflamed esophagus.
Spicy foods should be the last thing on anyone’s mind because they will ignite the flames more and trigger acid reflux symptoms far more rapidly and intensely. There are two reasons behind this tendency of spicy foods. Firstly, people experiencing acid reflux would already have an irritated digestive tract, and eating spicy food can cause further inflammation. Secondly, it will weaken the digestive system’s ability to process and break down food particles. Hence, the food will stay in the stomach for a long time. Undigested food also causes acid reflux, you know.
9. Jam & Jelly
How we wish we could have peanut butter with jelly every morning and even in the evenings. But, sadly, for those experiencing GERD symptoms like acid reflux, this is a farfetched reality. Jams and jellies would cause more harm than good to people battling with acid reflux because these two foods are ranked the highest in the list of acid-forming foods. Do you know jams and jellies have a pH value of 5.5?
So, by consuming jam and jellies you not only feed excessive dose of sugar to your body but also increase the alkaline level to a great extent. So, in order to create a balanced effect, it is necessary to combine peanut butter with some slices of alkalizing foods like strawberries or bananas. This would make the pH value of your snack less acidic, and the likelihood of acid reflux would be reduced. However, research suggests that strawberries are acid-producing foods. So, it is better to skip them in jam or berry forms if you want to keep refluxes at bay.
10. Tomatoes
We do know and believe that tomatoes have extraordinarily high lycopene content. Still, we cannot overlook that this nutritious and delicious vegetable also contains high amounts of malic and citric acid. These components are detrimental to the health of those undergoing regular episodes of acid reflux. That’s because both citric and malic acid causes the stomach to produce a more significant amount of gastric acid.
Gastric acid is a chemical that breaks down the food we consume. However, when its quantity increases in our digestive system, the acid has nowhere to go other than the esophagus. This reaction will aggravate acid reflux symptoms, and you’ll find it difficult to cope with the situation. Hence, you should avoid eating tomato-based pasta, spaghetti, and sauces and opt for EVOO to stay healthy and hearty.
11. Peppermint and Mint Tea
There’s no denying the fact the peppermint has amazing healing and soothing properties. It usually serves as a relaxing agent to subdue and deal with the impacts of bowel-related disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome. It is also a proven remedy to soothe an irritated and upset stomach.
However, for people experiencing acid reflux, peppermint tea can do the opposite. Instead of generating soothing effects, it will heighten the acid reflux symptoms and effects. Peppermint tea tends to aggravate the digestive tract. Therefore, it is better to avoid consuming anything made with mint otherwise, you will continue feeling heartburn or acid reflux. The issue with mint is that it soothes the LES muscles making it’s functioning weaker and laxer. Therefore, try to avoid mint or peppermint tea and also don’t eat foods made with mint.
12. Eggs
You may not know that your morning ritual of eating scrambled eggs may cause issues with your LES. That’s right, folks. Eggs are one of the top foods that cause excessive food allergies. This means most of us are susceptible to egg allergy, which can cause acidity as it is a common side effect of egg allergy. Moreover, people experiencing gastric issues should necessarily avoid eating egg yolks and stick to egg whites if they must eat eggs.
Acid reflux is a critical side effect of egg allergen so, if you have egg intolerance, reflux will occur more frequently than before. On the other hand, if you are a vegetarian and suffer from acid reflux, you can add protein shakes to your diet to meet your daily protein requirements since you cannot eat meat.
13. Peanut Butter
If you are a peanut butter addict, there’s bad news for you. Peanuts are high-in-fat nuts, so this means your LES would become hazy and lax when you consume anything made with peanuts, particularly peanut butter. Around two tablespoons of peanut butter contain nearly 3.3 grams of saturated fat compared to almond butter that contains just 1.4 grams of saturated fat.
So, if you eat a peanut butter sandwich every morning, you consume many saturated fats, which contributes significantly to heartburn and acidity. Almond butter is a better alternative to peanut butter if you want to eat something less acidic and low-fat every morning. If you cannot avoid eating peanut butter, we suggest you choose a brand that offers the healthiest peanut butter with the lowest amount of saturated fat.
14. Table Sugar
If your mom advised you to avoid eating a lot of sugary beverages and baked goods, there was a sound reason behind it. Table sugar incites stomachache and can aggravate acid reflux. Table sugar contains a higher proportion of fructose. In fact, it makes up around half of the ingredients in sugar. Sugar doesn’t get readily absorbed in the bloodstream and lingers on for a long time until a time comes when it becomes nutrition for unhealthy bacteria. When this happens, your stomach receives the most backlash, and your esophagus becomes the target.
This is also true with baked goods like brownies and cookies. If you like to have these items for breakfast, it is about time you start avoiding these products as they are also high in sugar content and create a highly acidic environment inside the stomach. You must always avoid refined sugar in any form, be it in coffee, cookies, or other such products. Store-bought products also contain artificial flavorings, additives, and preservatives that make things worse.
15. Citrus
If you are suffering from acid reflex, avoid all citrus fruits. Citrus fruits and juice contain are by nature very acidic foods. For example, the pH of lime is 2.4 and the pH of lemons are 2.3. This is as acidic as it gets. Consuming any amount of citrus will make your acid reflex symptoms worst. So if you love your fresh squeeze orange juice in the mornings, it’s time to replace that juice with some thing else.