If you’re experiencing symptoms of acid reflux, it’s time to cut back on certain foods in your diet. This article explains what causes acid reflux, how to control it, and lifestyle changes that can help.
What is Acid Reflux?
Acid reflux, or heartburn or dyspepsia, is one of the most common digestive complaints. Symptoms range from mild pain to a burning sensation in the middle of the chest that can travel up to the throat. In addition, some people complain of unpleasant mouth taste and bad breath.
Reflux occurs when acidic stomach contents back up into the esophagus. If this happens often, it can cause damage and inflammation in the esophagus and, in severe cases, lead to more serious conditions, such as Barrett’s esophagus, a pre-cancerous condition that affects the lining of the esophagus.
How Do You Know Which Foods Trigger Reflux?
Figuring out which foods cause reflux can be tricky, as there’s still some debate about which ones are the worst. Keeping a food diary is helpful because it helps you understand your habits and make changes. It also helps you identify more clearly which foods trigger your symptoms or the times of day when they’re most likely to occur.
How to get started:
1. Write down what, when, and how you ate – include everything from meals and snacks to caffeinated drinks, alcohol, and juices.
2. Be as accurate as possible – it’s better to write it down in real time than to try to remember it later.
3. Include details about how the food was prepared and cooked (e.g., boiled, grilled, fried, etc.).
4. Write down the circumstances under which you ate – were you stressed or relaxed? Did you eat quickly or calmly, sitting at the table?
5. Record your symptoms, when they occurred, and how long they lasted.
6. If you take medications or supplements, include them in the diary, as well as the time they were taken.
7. Keep a journal every day for at least two weeks, including weekends.
8. After two weeks, review your diary to identify patterns – these may be linked to your lifestyle or certain foods. This diary will reveal a lot and is a good idea to take with you to your doctor or nutritionist.
What Are The Most Common Foods that Trigger Acid Reflux?
Here are 8 of the most likely triggers, why they’re harmful, and what you can choose instead.
1. Fats and Fatty Foods
It takes longer to digest, resulting in the production of more digestive juices.
What to try instead: Cut back on fatty foods like fried foods, chips, pizza, pastries, and pies. Trim visible fat from meats, use cooking spray, and grill, bake, steam, or boil instead of fry.
2. Coffee, Chocolate, and Cocoa
Contains compounds such as caffeine, which worsen symptoms, especially for sensitive people.
What to try instead: Switch to decaf alternatives and cut back on chocolate and cocoa.
3. Alcohol, including Beer and Wine
Alcoholic beverages relax the sphincter muscle that controls the opening between the stomach and esophagus, and symptoms typically occur within the first hour after consumption.
What to try instead: Opt for low- or no-alcohol options.
4. Tomatoes and Tomato-based Meals
They contain malic and citric acid, which will increase stomach acidity.
What to try instead: Cut back on tomatoes and use an alternative vegetable sauce for pasta or a green pesto sauce for pizza.
5. Spicy Meals
Spices irritate the lining of the esophagus.
What to try instead: Avoid cayenne pepper and opt for ginger or cinnamon. Keep a food diary to assess your tolerance.
6. Garlic and Onions
Stimulate the production of gastric acid.
What to do instead: See if you tolerate cooked onions or milder onions, like red onions, better.
7. Citrus Fruits and Citrus Juice
They contain citric acid, and their low pH aggravates reflux symptoms.
What to try instead: Choose alternatives like cantaloupe, papaya, or banana. Riper citrus fruits have lower acidity levels.
8. Carbonated Drinks
They cause bloating, put pressure on the muscle that controls the esophagus, and may contain caffeine.
What to try instead: Water, herbal teas, or diluted juices.