11 Overlooked Foods That You Didn't Know Intensify Your GERD Symptoms
Thanks to the Keto Diet trend — where people restrict their consumed carbohydrate intake — Along with many others, more and more people are finding more common links in foods that throw their acid reflux out of control.
Foods commonly known to be heartburn triggers cause the esophageal sphincter to relax and delay the digestive process, letting food sit in the stomach longer. If you suffer from GERD (which is an acronym for Gastroesophageal reflux disease) chances are very high that there are at least one of the top heartburn foods that wreak havoc with your digestive system, in your diet already.
- Tomatoes are a common acid reflux trigger because of their high concentration of salicylic acid, which is also found in aspirin.
- Mint can relax the muscle wall of the lower esophageal sphincter where acid is meant to be held until it reaches the intestines where it belongs.
- MSG, or Monosodium glutamate, which is often added to processed foods, may also contribute to your heartburn.
- Chocolate can cause acid reflux because of its fat content that delays stomach emptying time.
- Alcohol can cause acid reflux because your stomach doesn't produce enough of the digestive enzyme known as "pepsin."
- Spicy foods like chili peppers can cause acid reflux.
- Carbonated beverages irritate the lower esophageal sphincter muscle, causing burning.
- Coffee is another heartburn trigger because it contains caffeine which relaxes sphincter muscles in the stomach allowing acid to enter the esophagus.
- Foods high in fat can cause GERD symptoms as well because your body takes a longer time to break down the fats.
- Alcohol, a common heartburn trigger, is made up of both fat and protein.
- Fiber can be a heartburn trigger because it takes longer for the stomach to digest fiber compared to other foods.
Many people struggle with food and eating habits. This can lead to complications, such as obesity or inflammation of the pancreas - even if you're not overweight! The key is moderation in all things: don't eliminate any food groups forever but try avoiding problem items late at night closer towards bedtime so they aren’t sitting around your stomach when heading off for sleep; also make sure you eat smaller frequent meals instead of large ones because having too big an intake right before going flat out will only end up leaving us feeling GUILTY later on (who doesn't?). And lastly… avoid those midnight snacks
If you can't completely eliminate these foods from your daily intake, try to choose lower-fat alternatives of the food that trigger GERD symptoms.
The best way to prevent acid reflux is to avoid the foods that trigger it in the first place. While this may not be easy at first but with time and patience, you will get the hang of it.