Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, can leave a bad taste in your mouth, literally. Patients with this disorder frequently experience the sour flavor of digestive juices regurgitating up through the esophagus and into the mouth. GERD also causes heartburn, a sensation that isn't really in your heart, but in your throat, as acids from the stomach escape through a valve in your esophagus and irritate the membranes that line it. The symptoms of GERD can often be managed through lifestyle changes involving food selection.
Acidic Produce
Citrus fruits and tomatoes can both aggravate GERD symptoms in some individuals. This is due to the high acidity of these foods, combined with the already acidic digestive juices of the stomach, which pass back up through the lower esophageal sphincter and escape into the throat during a bout of acid reflux. Oranges, lemons, tangerines, pineapples and grapefruit are all highly acidic.
Chocolate
Bad news for chocolate lovers with GERD: Your favorite decadent treat contains a chemical that can worsen your symptoms. According to the University of Illinois McKinley Health Center, methylxanthine, a substance found in chocolate, has a relaxing effect on the muscles of your lower esophageal sphincter. This allows stomach contents to pass upward into the esophagus, causing heartburn.
Coffee
Coffee has two strikes against it for GERD patients. Not only is it highly acidic, but the caffeine in coffee can relax the esophageal sphincter, preventing it from constricting effectively. Unfortunately drinking decaffeinated coffee isn't any better for many GERD patients, due to coffee's high acidity.
Fatty Foods
Fats take a long time to digest, and that causes problems for GERD sufferers. The longer a food rests in the stomach, the more likely that GERD symptoms will strike. Fatty foods also decrease the esophageal sphincter's ability to constrict.
Carbonated Beverages
Carbonated beverages increase the pressure in the stomach, placing stress on the esophageal valve and forcing stomach contents back upward. For the same reasons, large heavy meals of any kind are discouraged for patients with GERD, according to the University of Arizona Campus Health Service.
Other Irritants
A number of other food items are known to cause problems for some GERD patients. These include spicy foods like tobasco sauce, mint, alcohol, garlic and onions. Individual sensitivities to these foods vary, and keeping a food diary to help you determine which items exacerbate your symptoms can help.
