Acid reflux, also known as gastroespohageal reflux disease (GERD), is caused by overeating or consuming foods that irritate the esophageal lining. Both activities may trigger the lower esophageal sphincter to weaken, allowing stomach acid to back up into the esophagus. Living with acid reflux is uncomfortable and inconvenient, limiting what you can and can't eat. If allowed to progress without proper treatment or dietary changes, it can cause serious complications such as Barrett's esophagus and even esophageal cancer. It's important to learn what foods irritate the stomach and esophageal lining so you can adjust your diet to avoid them.
Spices and Condiments
Avoid hot and spicy foods which cause problems for many people with GERD, recommends the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine website. This includes chilies, hot sauce, and peppers. These foods irritate and damage the esophageal lining.
Theodore A. Baroody, in his excellent book about pH, "Alkalize or Die", urges that people with reflux disease eliminate white vinegar from the diet due to it's extreme acidity, and be cautious with all other vinegars. Except for organic apple cider vinegar (ACV), other vinegars have their ability to create an acid-forming condition in the body increasing reflux. Although organic ACV is also acidic in nature, it has the ability to help create an alkaline-forming state in the system, stimulating the production of digestive juices and helping to reducing reflux. Vinegar based foods to avoid are pickles and salad dressings.
Drinks
FamilyDoctor.org recommends avoiding all caffeinated drinks, alcohol, coffee, citrus juices and carbonated beverages. All of these drinks cause the stomach to produce extra acids which may reflux and irritate the esophageal lining. By limiting acid-forming beverages, alcoholic drinks and caffeine, you lessen the chance for troubling symptoms.
Sweets
FamilyDoctor.com also recommends steering clear of chocolate, cocoa, spearmint, peppermint and mint. The esophageal sphincter relaxes after ingestion of mint and allows stomach acids and food to reflux up the esophagus, aggravating GERD, according to the Medicine Chest website. Chocolate and cocoa have the same effect.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are acidic and difficult to digest, like most citrus fruits, says the Life Extension website. Tomatoes are also responsible for causing an acid-forming condition in the stomach, promoting the production of additional digestive juices that cause painful GERD symptoms.
Onions
The Jackson Siegelbaum Gastroenterology website advises avoiding raw onions. Certain compounds in onions weaken the lower esophageal sphincter.
Fats
The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine says foods high in fat and low in fiber trigger GERD symptoms. Animal fats also inhibit the stomach's ability to empty quickly, according to the Life Extension website.
References
- Food Navigator.com: How chocolate can trigger heartburn
- "Alkalize or Die", Dr. Theodore A. Baroody, 1991
- Medicine Chest: Mint, spearmint, peppermint
