Acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease, is a condition where stomach acids back up into the esophagus. This condition needs to be treated, because over time the esophagus can become damaged. An important component of treatment is to eliminate triggers where possible and one common trigger is food. Since each case is different, every patient will need to find personal triggers. It may take some trial and error and keeping an accurate food diary to identify the foods that cause a person's acid reflux symptoms.
Tomato Products
The exact reason that acid reflux occurs in some patients and not others is still not well understood. However, there are some common foods that tend to increase the production of stomach acid, which may exacerbate symptoms. For this reason the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, recommends limiting intake of tomatoes and tomato based products such as sauce, salsa, chili and pizza. Some patients may be able to eat a limited amount while others may need to avoid these foods completely.
Fatty and Fried Foods
Cutting back on fatty and fried foods will help for two reasons. One is that these foods can trigger acid reflux symptoms, claims MayoClinic.com. The other reason is that they are high in calories. Along with cutting back on trigger foods, it is also important to cut back on calories if carrying extra weight. A larger stomach can push up into the esophagus, which can contribute to acid reflux. Weight loss is an important step in a total program to manage symptoms.
Chocolate and Alcohol
Certain foods can make acid reflux worse because they cause the muscles in the esophagus to relax, which in turn allows acid to flow backwards. According to the University of Illinois McKinley Health Center, this includes chocolate and alcohol. For some patients caffeinated coffee can have this affect as well, while other patients can consume coffee with no problem.
Mint and Citrus
Mint and citrus foods and drinks are other known triggers. Chewing non-mint and non-citrus flavored gum right after a meal can help to stimulate saliva production and may help to calm symptoms.
