Burger and fries on a plate, potential heartburn triggers. Burger and fries on a plate, potential heartburn triggers.

10 Acid Reflux Foods to Avoid and Diet Changes

Acid reflux, also known as GRED (gastroesophageal reflux disease), causes many people to experience a burning sensation(heartburn) in the esophagus.

The main cause of gastroesophageal reflux disease is wide relaxation of the lower esophagus sphincter LES (A sensitive muscle restricting stomach acid flow).

acid refulx avoid food
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Heartburn sensation impacts our daily life. To control these acid reflux symptoms, you must modify your lifestyle and diet, so in this article, we will explore practical diet tips, lifestyle, and home remedies for controlling GRED (gastroesophageal reflux disease).

1. Foods To Avoid: Common Triggers Acid Reflux

Worst Foods to Eat with Acid Reflux (GERD, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) | How to Reduce Symptoms

To manage acid reflux symptoms, it’s crucial to identify and avoid the common trigger foods including junk foods, fatty foods, citrus fruits, etc.

To avoid regular heartburn symptoms, have to limit your intake of the following foods:

  1. fried food
  2. chocolates
  3. high-fat meals
  4. carbonated beverages
  5. citrus fruits
  6. tomatoes
  7. pineapple
  8. kiwi
  9. straw berry
acid reflux
Image by Robin Stickel from Pexels/ Copyright 2015

Instead, you have to take the following foods:

  1. ginger
  2. almond milk
  3. mango
  4. papaya
  5. pears
  6. Blueberries etc….. there are a few simple and effective home remedies for acid reflux you may have to use for heartburn symptoms of acid reflux.

1.1 Avoid Fatty Foods and Simple Carbohydrates

Food containing high fatty acids and simple carbohydrates like white bread and pastries can lead to the relaxation of LES (lower oesophagal sphincter) and allow the stomach acid into the esophagus.

Acid Reflux Diet - Best & Worst Foods For Acid Reflux |GERD/GORD Diet

1.1.1 FATTY FOODS

  • Fatty foods involve fried foods like French fries and fried chicken. More oil-containing foods are the major cause of relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), so you have to avoid fatty food.
  • Instead of frying, choose cooking methods like grilling, baking, and steaming to reduce the fatty content in your meal and limit stomach acid levels.
  • Foods that are high in saturated fats and trans fats, like red meat, bacon, and processed meat like hot dogs, should be moderate in your diet.

Here it is the following foods that contain high-fat content you should avoid to reduce trigger heartburn symptoms.

  1. greasy and oil foods
  2. fries and regular cheese
  3. trans fats like red meat, bacon
  4. ice creams and potato chips

1.1.2 SIMPLE CARBOHYDRATES

acid reflux
Image by NatureFriend from Pixabay/copyright 2015
  • Simple carbohydrates like white Rice, pastries, white bread, and desserts can lead to increased levels of sugar in your blood, which may contribute to frequent acid reflux symptoms.
  • These foods can also cause fluctuation in insulin levels, which may lead to a crease in stomach acid and the symptoms of acid reflux.
  • Instead of these simple carbohydrates, you can choose complex carbohydrates, which contain rich fiber, take longer to digest, and reduce stomach acid levels.
  • Complex carbohydrate-content foods include brown rice, quinoa, barley, whole wheat bread, oats, etc.

1.2 Acidic Foods Cause GERD Symptoms

Do You Have Acid Reflux or GERD?

For good health, you should include fruits and vegetables in your meals, but when you suffer from GERD(gastroesophageal reflux disease ), you should avoid acidic fruits and vegetables because acidic foods may lead to an increase in stomach acid.

Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and grapes contain high acidic content that can irritate the esophagus and lead to worsening symptoms of acid reflux.

Vinegar, including apple cider vinegar, is highly acidic and can simulate the production of stomach acid, which can lead to heartburn or acid reflux.

1.3 Foods that help acid reflux

Here it is the following foods that are commonly recommended to help alleviate acid reflux symptoms:

1.3.1 OATMEAL

Oatmeals contain rich fibers that help absorb stomach acid and keep our digestive tract healthy. foods that contain rich fiber take longer to digest.

1.3.2 BANANA

Bananas are naturally low in acids which help to neutralize the stomach acids, these bananas also contain ant acids, which help to get relief from heartburn.

1.3.3 GINGER

Ginger naturally has anti-inflammatory properties that help to reduce inflammation in the digestive tract. You can include ginger in your meals, or you can make ginger tea daily to reduce acid reflux and avoid symptoms.

1.3.4 ALMOND

Almonds naturally contain fibers and healthy fats that regulate the digestive system and reduce acid reflux symptoms. almonds can be consumed as a snack or added to oatmeal.

1.3.5 ALOE VERA JUICE

acid reflux
aloe vera image by jean van der meulen from pixels/copyright 2018

Aloe vera contains soothing properties and may help to regulate the digestive tract, you can take aloe vers juice in small amounts before your meals which helps to neutralize stomach acid.

1.3.6 LEAN PROTEIN SOURCES

Lean proteins like skinless poultry, fish, and beans are less likely to trigger acid reflux symptoms compared to other foods like high-fat meats.

2. What other changes can I make to prevent acid reflux?

When you suffer from frequent acid reflux symptoms, you have to modify your lifestyle to prevent worsening symptoms of acid reflux; here are the following life modifications you should follow:

2.1 ELEVATE THE BED

You have to elevate the head of your bed because it prevents the flow back of stomach acid into the esophagus and gives you peaceful sleep the entire night; you can also wedge shape pillow to make your upper body incline and prevent the flow back of your stomach acid.

2.2 MAINTAINING THE HEALTHY WEIGHT

acid reflux
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Extra weight can lead to pressure on the abdomen, which can worsen symptoms of GERD. To maintain a healthy weight, you have to do regular exercise and eat a healthy diet.

2.3 EAT SMALLER MEALS

Larger meals can put more pressure on LES and cause acid reflux, so take smaller and more frequent meals that minimize the burden for the digestive process.

2.4 QUIT SMOKING AND DRINKING

Smoking leads to the weakening of the LES, makes it relax, and smoking and drinking can cause more acid production, which leads to triggering heartburn.

2.5 MANAGING STRESS

Anxiety and stress can elevate the acid reflux trigger symptoms by affecting the digestive system and the production of stomach acid; there are so many techniques for controlling stress, and one of those is yoga you have to do yoga regularly, especially the deep breathing and meditation.

2.6 SLEEPING HOURS

Sleeping at least 7 – 8 hours a day will keep your health good as well as your digestive system. Insufficient sleep may lead to stress and anxiety and can elevate acid reflux symptoms.

Before going to bed, take a small amount of food. Large meals may be a burden to our digestive system during sleeping time because during sleeping hours, your body is relaxed. Stated there is no physical work to your body, so eat as little as possible and sleep as long as possible

3. Does chocolate cause heartburn?

Yes, chocolates can contribute to heartburn. Some chocolates may have acidic content, which can elevate the acid reflux symptoms, and some chocolate may have more fat content. High-fat food can delay stomach emptying, which leads to more stomach acid production.

4. Which food items can neutralize stomach acid immediately?

While there are no specific foods to neutralize stomach acid immediately, some foods can reduce stomach acid temporarily, giving you heartburn relief; the following foods are:

  1. banana
  2. melons
  3. oatmeal
  4. ginger
  5. almond
  6. non-citric foods
  7. low fat intake, etc

NOTE: Neutralization means when an acid is mixed with a base, the resultant mixture should have salt and water; this is what most acid reflux avoid foods are opposite to base components; when these 2 stomach acids, which are HCL(hydrochloric acid) mixed with bases which are like banana and so on gives you heartburn relief.

5. SURGICAL TREATMENTS FOR GERD AND ACID REFLUX

acid reflux treatments
surgery image by Anna Shvets from pixels/copyright 2016

5.1 Gastric bypass surgery: Gastric bypass surgery reduces the size of the stomach, alters the digestive tract for weight loss, and reduces reflux symptoms.

5.2 Endoscopic Procedures: Endoscopic treatments for GERD use a flexible tube with a camera and specialized instruments to perform procedures inside the digestive tract.

5.3 Stretta Procedure: During the procedure, a catheter with a balloon is inserted into the esophagus, delivering controlled energy to the LES tissue and improving barrier function.

CONCLUSION

Avoiding trigger foods such as fatty, acidic, and spicy foods and GERD-friendly options like lean proteins, fruits, and whole grains can reduce symptoms and promote digestive health. Alongside dietary changes, lifestyle adjustments like eating slowly, maintaining a healthy weight, and practicing stress management can help reduce acid reflux symptoms.

It is essential to consult a doctor frequently when you are suffering from acid reflux symptoms before choosing to avoid food items in your meals because the intensity of these acid reflux symptoms varies for each individual.

Home remedies are very simple to make and will work more effectively. Homemade remedies will help to reduce heartburn and keep your health good. Market there are so many treatments and surgeries for these GREDs, but you have to prevent them before going to cure

Knowledge increases by sharing, not by shaving. If you think this information is useful to your friends’ families or anybody suffering from this problem, share it with them.

Last Updated on by Sathi Chakraborty, MSc Biology

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PAVANKUMAR

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