If you suffer from heartburn, acid reflux, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), you're probably aware that what you eat has a big impact on how you feel. Specifically, there are a number of "trigger" foods that may cause or aggravate your symptoms. When you avoid these foods or choose substitutes for them, you have a better chance of minimizing irritation from GERD-related health issues.
Foods and the LES
The lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is a small ring of muscle that separates your esophagus from your stomach. According to the Mayo Clinic, acid reflux results when the LES relaxes or weakens, causing a backflow of stomach acid and bile to enter the esophagus and cause a burning sensation. Some foods and drinks are especially likely to relax the LES and inspire it to open that barrier. Those items include coffee, chocolate, tea and alcohol.
Trigger Foods
Other foods act as trigger foods, meaning that they are likely to cause or intensify acid reflux in many people. According to the Pediatric/Adolescent Gastroesophageal Reflux Association, trigger foods include tomatoes, citrus fruits, chili, garlic, spicy foods, many fast foods, fatty foods, bacon, gravy, creamy foods and pastries. In general, people with acid reflux may experience fewer and less severe attacks if they avoid foods that are high in fat.
Substitute Foods
Jackson Siegelbaum Gastroenterology clinic of Pennsylvania notes that everyone has individual trigger foods that may exacerbate their own symptoms without affecting others. If you have an issue with many traditional trigger foods, there are substitutes you can try that may not cause a problem. For example, try eating low fat or nonfat dairy products instead of full fat items, lean meats instead of fatty cuts, plain vegetables instead of creamed vegetables, fruits other than citruses and low fat desserts.
Recommended Foods
Foods that are not acidic, spicy or high in fat are very unlikely to cause acid reflux. Very few people who suffer from reflux or GERD experience worsened symptoms when they eat plain vegetables, fruits that are not citruses, bread, rice, grains (especially whole grains), nuts or nut butters and dairy products that are low fat and contain probiotics, such as yogurt.
Meal Size
The way you eat is nearly as important as the foods you choose in managing acid reflux. The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse recommends eating many small, frequent meals throughout the day rather than just a few very large meals. A large meal usually takes longer to digest and is more likely to result in bloating, discomfort and heartburn.
