Acid reflux food to avoid
Acid reflux is a medical condition that produces a burning sensation in the throat and/or a burning feeling in the chest. In patients with acid reflux, gastric juices that contain acids travel back from the stomach into the esophagus. The esophagus carries food and liquids from the mouth into the stomach. The lower end of this tube-shaped organ contains a valve that closes once food reaches the stomach. This valve is what typically keeps food and liquids as well as gastric juices in the stomach where they belong. When the valve does not work correctly, the gastric juices in the stomach can travel back up and into the esophagus causing a burning sensation in the throat and/or chest.
The most commonly reported symptoms of acid reflux include burning in the throat and chest and a sour taste in the mouth. Difficulty in breathing as well as dental erosion and hoarseness may also be present. Controlling acid reflux typically involves the use of medication to help heal any damage in the esophagus from gastrointestinal acids and to help relieve the burning sensation or heartburn. A healthier diet is also typically prescribed to control the disorder. Certain foods can be much more acidic and cause more discomfort in patients who have been diagnosed with acid reflux disease. Avoiding these foods will help the patient to experience fewer episodes of heartburn and acid reflux.
Some of the most commonly noted foods that cause heartburn include many dairy products such as ice cream, cheese, yogurt, milk and milk shakes. Avoiding these foods or at the very least limiting your ingestion of certain dairy products can help to alleviate the symptoms of acid reflux. Other foods to avoid include spicy foods such as those containing hot peppers, chili powder and dried pepper. Garlic, onions, tomatoes and bell peppers also contribute to the symptoms of acid reflux.
Foods higher in carbohydrates also tend to make the burning sensation in the throat and chest more unbearable. Certain high-carb foods such as many breads and pastas can cause symptoms to appear. Fried foods also typically cause acid reflux symptoms to appear. Foods that are baked and/or broiled are much easier to digest and contain fewer acids than those deep-fried in oils. If you do prefer to fry foods, choosing oil lower in fat such as olive oil can help to dispel the burning and heartburn.
Alcoholic beverages also tend to cause acid reflux symptoms. If you drink it is recommended that you limit your daily intake of alcoholic beverages as well as those containing caffeine and carbonated soft drinks. Carbonation can aggravate the symptoms of acid reflux so most doctors recommend limiting soft drinks to no more than two per day.
It is important to note that trigger foods will be different from person to person. While most people cannot tolerate foods containing tomatoes, many patients who have been diagnosed with acid reflux have no symptoms after eating tomato based products. In order to determine which foods trigger your specific acid reflux, you should maintain a food diary. Note down the foods that have the worst effects and cause the burning sensation. It is also recommended that you avoid eating larger meals. It is best to eat smaller meals several times each day as opposed to two to three larger meals. This gives your system a better chance of completely digesting foods which will help to keep acids from traveling back into the esophagus. You should also avoid eating foods soon before going to bed. Lying down after eating can cause symptoms of acid reflux. Doctors recommend stopping eating and drinking only water up to one hour before lying down.
Many patients have found that foods such as lemons, oranges and limes trigger their acid reflux. A common misconception is that foods containing citric acids should be avoided by those with this disorder. Recent studies however have shown that these foods do not always trigger the symptoms of reflux disease. The only way to tell if citrus fruits will trigger your reflux is to try them and keep track of the effects in your food diary.
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