8 Foods that make acid reflux worse Chocolate — Everyone's favorite treat comes with a dark side; chocolate contains caffeine, cocoa, and plant chemicals that can all trigger heartburn. Also, a chemical in cocoa relaxes the LES, making it easier for stomach contents to leak into your esophagus.
However, many experts recommend choosing dark chocolate over milk chocolate or white chocolate, as dark chocolate is less likely to trigger reflux symptoms. You should also avoid chocolate that is high in fat, as this can aggravate GERD.
Chocolate
Unfortunately, even dark chocolate is an acid-forming food. For people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD), chocolate is one of those offending foods that makes symptoms worse.
Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate is actually good for those with acid reflux. This is because dark chocolate has lower fat content than milk chocolate or white chocolate. Additionally, dark chocolate contains flavonoids, which have antioxidant properties.
"We found that the chocolate causes a large amount of serotonin to be released from the cells in the intestines," says Wei Ming Sun, Ph. D., research scientist, U-M Department of Internal Medicine. "The serotonin causes the lower esophageal sphincter to relax.
Whole grains such as oatmeal, couscous and brown rice. Root vegetables such as sweet potatoes, carrots and beets. Green vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli and green beans.
Non-fat or low-fat pudding, custard, ice cream, frozen yogurt, sherbet. Low-fat cookies. Gelatin made from allowed foods. Sweets and desserts with chocolate, peppermint, or spearmint (including flavoring).
Water. Most notably, mineral water with an alkaline pH – this may reduce the acidity of the stomach and help to denature the enzyme pepsin. It's this digestive enzyme that is thought to be responsible for much of the damage associated with reflux.
Is yogurt a good choice? Yogurt that is not too sour is also excellent for acid reflux, because of the probiotics that help normalize bowel function. Yogurt also provides protein, and soothes stomach discomfort, often providing a cooling sensation.
Dark chocolate is not acidic. The chocolate content of dark chocolate is higher than that of milk chocolate, with a higher percentage of cocoa solids and less milk and sugar. flavonoids, antioxidants found in dark chocolate, have been shown to have health benefits.
Avocado: Despite being high in fat, avocados are rich in healthy fats, which can settle your stomach and prevent acid reflux symptoms.
Foods to Eat on an Acid Reflux Diet
Noncitrus fruits: Apples, bananas, blueberries, and strawberries are safe bets.
Some people with GERD find that the yolk of the egg aggravates their symptoms. The good news is that you can easily enjoy just the egg whites. To avoid butter and oil, eat just the white of a hard boiled egg. A light scramble in a little bit of butter or coconut oil is another option.
Drinks such as ginger tea, certain fruit and vegetable juices, and plant-based milks may benefit people experiencing acid reflux and heartburn. Avoiding citrus juices, carbonated beverages, and alcohol can also help to reduce symptom frequency and severity.
While it's good to drink a lot of water when you have GERD, avoid drinking water just before bed time. It'll only wake you up in the middle of the night because you have to use the bathroom, and it may not be easy to drift back to sleep. Don't nap in the daytime.
When you have frequent GERD symptoms, like heartburn, eating high-fat dairy products like cheese can aggravate your symptoms. Furthermore, cold dairy products like ice cream can actually numb and inhibit the lower esophageal sphincter's function. As a result, stomach acid can backwash up into the esophagus much easier.
Wondering why we chose this flavour for your heartburn, out of all those other mouth-watering flavours? It is because vanilla ice-cream is just another version of cold milk (that is frozen) thought to be a good natural remedy for acidity.
Bananas for stomach acid are considered safe because they have alkaline (alkaline) properties. In addition, this fruit is also considered to help balance the acid in the stomach so that symptoms of acid reflux or GERD can be prevented.
Water. In general, drinking water can help balance the pH of a particularly acidic meal, which may help to lower the risk of acid reflux. Studies show that drinking mineral water with a high hydrogen carbonate content can help to alleviate the frequency and severity of acid reflux.