Foods Not To Eat With The Gerd Diet

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, also known as GERD, is an extremely common digestive issue that affects two out of every ten Americans, according to the National Digestive Disease Clearing House. The most common symptoms of GERD are heartburn, stomach pain and discomfort after eating. A relaxed or underactive lower esophageal sphincter, also known as LES --- the muscle that sits between your stomach and esophagus --- is the main cause of GERD.

Anyone experiencing GERD should follow a strict GERD diet. A properly-designed GERD diet can reduce the painful symptoms of the disease and decrease the chances of serious side effects. In general, a GERD diet is low-fat and limited in caffeine.

Coffee

Coffee won't give you the same morning pick-me-up if you're writhing in pain a few minutes after finishing it. Coffee is high in caffeine, a stimulant that relaxes the LES --- thus allowing stomach acid to escape into the esophagus.

MayoClinic.com reports that the average cup of coffee contains up to 200 mg of caffeine. You can replace caffeinated coffee with decaf. However, even decaffeinated coffee affects some people with GERD.

Chocolate

Avoid chocolate, which contains a bit of coffee. Chocolate contains a compound known as methylxanthine, which researchers at the University of Illinois report that it interferes with the action of the LES.

To get your chocolate fix, try white chocolate. White chocolate contains low levels of methylxanthine, the "Karger Gazette" reports.

Deep-Fried Foods

Deep-fried foods, high in overall fat, cause food to sit longer in the stomach. The longer food stays in the stomach, the higher the chances of reflux occurring. DietFacts.com reports that a 12 oz. piece of fried chicken contains over 52 g of fat --- over 80 percent of your daily value.

Instead of frying, choose cooking methods like pan frying, baking and grilling.

Cola

Colas are a painful combination of acid, carbonation and caffeine that can aggravate GERD symptoms, Heartspring reports. The high acidity in cola makes stomach acid even more acidic, and more painful. The carbonation in soda may cause increased instances of reflux.