How to Ease Acid Reflux With a Change in Diet
Restrict fatty foods in your diet., Avoid chocolate., Limit your coffee intake., Stay away from peppermint and mint products., Don’t drink alcohol., Tread lightly with acidic foods., Avoid spicy foods if you’re currently having reflux.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Restrict fatty foods in your diet.
Foods that are high in fat tend to worsen reflux symptoms.
The fat affects how long it takes your food to digest and leave your stomach, which means more time and likelihood for acid backup.
Try to eat a low-fat diet.Avoid fried foods, red meat, and foods cooked in butter – these are high in “bad” fats.
Choose lean meat options that are grilled, baked, broiled, or poached.
Opt for fish like salmon or mackerel when possible.
Cook with olive oil instead of butter.
Eat fish and nuts like almonds, walnuts, and cashews.
These have “good” fats that are better for you.
Stay away from trans fats that are present in pre-packaged and processed foods.
Skip the junk food aisle and don’t eat fast food.
Choose low-fat or non-fat dairy options. -
Step 2: Avoid chocolate.
Chocolate loosens your lower esophageal sphincter (or LES) – the valve that keeps acid in your stomach where it belongs.As hard as it is to hear, natural elements in chocolate like cocoa, caffeine, and theobromine promote reflux., Coffee is a known trigger for reflux.
The caffeine and high acid content weaken the LES.If you currently drink lots of coffee, don’t just stop right away – that might cause withdrawal symptoms like headaches and irritability.
Wean yourself off coffee by decreasing how many cups you drink per day, and eventually switching to half-caff (half-caffeinated, half caffeine-free) or decaf coffee or tea. , Like chocolate, mint relaxes the LES because of its chemical composition.Try not to eat foods flavored with mint, especially peppermint and spearmint.
This includes chewing gum. , Alcohol irritates the throat and stomach and is known to loosen up the LES.
Minimize your alcohol intake or stop drinking altogether.If you currently drink multiple alcoholic beverages in a day, start to cut back your drinking – stopping all at once can cause withdrawal.
Consult a doctor for help or gradually limit your consumption on your own. , The jury is still out about whether eating foods with high acid content causes reflux, but some studies suggest that it might.
Some people may be more susceptible to acidic foods, so you can try to limit them in your diet and watch for improvement.
Other than coffee, consider experimenting with limiting these high-acid foods and beverages:
Processed, frozen, and prepackaged foods – these usually contain acidic preservatives Soda and other carbonated/canned/bottled drinks Citrus fruit like oranges, limes, lemons, and grapefruits (and their juice) Tomatoes and tomato products, including red pasta sauce and pizza sauce Onions and garlic, Though spicy foods do not actually cause reflux, if your esophagus is already irritated they can make it feel worse.Don’t eat spicy food during a reflux attack.
Once you’re feeling back to normal, eating spicy food shouldn't be a problem. -
Step 3: Limit your coffee intake.
-
Step 4: Stay away from peppermint and mint products.
-
Step 5: Don’t drink alcohol.
-
Step 6: Tread lightly with acidic foods.
-
Step 7: Avoid spicy foods if you’re currently having reflux.
Detailed Guide
Foods that are high in fat tend to worsen reflux symptoms.
The fat affects how long it takes your food to digest and leave your stomach, which means more time and likelihood for acid backup.
Try to eat a low-fat diet.Avoid fried foods, red meat, and foods cooked in butter – these are high in “bad” fats.
Choose lean meat options that are grilled, baked, broiled, or poached.
Opt for fish like salmon or mackerel when possible.
Cook with olive oil instead of butter.
Eat fish and nuts like almonds, walnuts, and cashews.
These have “good” fats that are better for you.
Stay away from trans fats that are present in pre-packaged and processed foods.
Skip the junk food aisle and don’t eat fast food.
Choose low-fat or non-fat dairy options.
Chocolate loosens your lower esophageal sphincter (or LES) – the valve that keeps acid in your stomach where it belongs.As hard as it is to hear, natural elements in chocolate like cocoa, caffeine, and theobromine promote reflux., Coffee is a known trigger for reflux.
The caffeine and high acid content weaken the LES.If you currently drink lots of coffee, don’t just stop right away – that might cause withdrawal symptoms like headaches and irritability.
Wean yourself off coffee by decreasing how many cups you drink per day, and eventually switching to half-caff (half-caffeinated, half caffeine-free) or decaf coffee or tea. , Like chocolate, mint relaxes the LES because of its chemical composition.Try not to eat foods flavored with mint, especially peppermint and spearmint.
This includes chewing gum. , Alcohol irritates the throat and stomach and is known to loosen up the LES.
Minimize your alcohol intake or stop drinking altogether.If you currently drink multiple alcoholic beverages in a day, start to cut back your drinking – stopping all at once can cause withdrawal.
Consult a doctor for help or gradually limit your consumption on your own. , The jury is still out about whether eating foods with high acid content causes reflux, but some studies suggest that it might.
Some people may be more susceptible to acidic foods, so you can try to limit them in your diet and watch for improvement.
Other than coffee, consider experimenting with limiting these high-acid foods and beverages:
Processed, frozen, and prepackaged foods – these usually contain acidic preservatives Soda and other carbonated/canned/bottled drinks Citrus fruit like oranges, limes, lemons, and grapefruits (and their juice) Tomatoes and tomato products, including red pasta sauce and pizza sauce Onions and garlic, Though spicy foods do not actually cause reflux, if your esophagus is already irritated they can make it feel worse.Don’t eat spicy food during a reflux attack.
Once you’re feeling back to normal, eating spicy food shouldn't be a problem.
About the Author
Justin Cooper
Brings years of experience writing about organization and related subjects.
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