Do you suffer from GERD? Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition in which the stomach contents – both food and liquid – leak backwards from the stomach into the esophagus (the tube from the mouth to the stomach). This causes a number of symptoms from heartburn and nausea to difficulty swallowing and even regurgitation. If you suffer from it, you’re not alone; 1 in 10 Americans experience heartburn at least once a week.
One of the keys to managing your GERD symptoms is to eliminate the foods from your diet that trigger acid production. But you have to identify them first! This can take a long time, through trial and error, but a lot of people who suffer from heartburn tend to react to many of the same, primary culprits.
Here are some of the top foods that tend to aggravate GERD, according to Everyday Health. Start eliminating these one by one and soon you’ll be heartburn free! Well, at least as long as you can avoid the temptation!
Tomatoes: Tomatoes, tomato sauce, soup, and tomato juice are all high in acid.
Citrus fruits: Oranges, pineapples, grapefruit, and lemons, as well as citrus juices, are usually high in acid
Chocolate: Chocolate contains methylxanthine, which can relax the smooth muscle of the stomach and loosen the lower esophageal sphincter (LES).
Coffee and tea: Both coffee and tea can promote heartburn – even caffeine-free.
Alcohol: Alcohol relaxes the LES and increases the production of stomach acid.
Carbonated beverages: Sodas tend to have high acid content; also the acid combined with the carbonation in sodas and seltzers creates carbon dioxide in the stomach and causes heartburn.
Fried and fatty foods: French fries, gravy, and fatty cuts of meat slow digestion and increase pressure in the stomach, therefore putting pressure on the LES.
Spicy foods: Chili, garlic, onions, and Mexican food all tend to stimulate acid production and relax the LES.
Dairy: Whipped cream, half-and-half, cheese, and whole milk; while some people use milk to cut the pain of heartburn, it can actually cause a rebound effect and stimulate acid production.
Creamy foods: Creamy soups and salad dressings often trigger heartburn because of their fat content.
Foods cooked in butter: Even healthy, low-acid foods can cause heartburn when cooked in fat because they tend to linger in the stomach.
Peppermint and spearmint: Mint-flavored teas and candies increase acid production and stimulate reflux.
