Heartburn is a common occurrence following a substantial, spicy, or extremely fatty meal. However, if you feel that you experience burning often, then you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). In that case we have to take some particular diet known as GERD Diet.
A healthy diet and understanding your GERD triggers will do wonders for your body.
What is acid reflux?
The esophageal sphincter, a muscle at the end of your oesophagus, typically closes after eating. Gastroesophageal reflux happens when the sphincter weakens and permits the contents of your stomach to rise back up.
You will experience a burning sensation that can develop into a condition known as gastroesophageal reflux disease when it occurs frequently (GERD). By eating some foods and avoiding others, you can reduce the symptoms of GERD.
What to eat as GERD Diet?
•Green veggies – Vegetables naturally contain little sugar and fat. Veggies such as green beans, broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, leafy greens, potatoes, and cucumbers are all good choices.
•Oats – A popular breakfast food, oatmeal is a whole grain and a fantastic source of fibre. A high-fiber diet has been associated with a lower risk of acid reflux. Whole-grain rice and grains are additional sources of fibre.
•Ginger – Due to its medicinal qualities, ginger is one of the best foods to help with digestion. Its natural alkalinity and anti-inflammatory properties reduce digestive tract irritation. If you start to experience heartburn, try drinking some ginger tea.
•Healthy fats – Avocados, walnuts, flaxseed, olive oil, sesame oil, are among the foods that contain healthy fats. Reduce your consumption of trans fats and saturated fats and substitute these healthier unsaturated fats instead.
•Non-citrus fruits – Melons, bananas, apples, and pears are examples of non-citrus fruits that are less likely to cause reflux symptoms than acidic fruits.
•Egg whites – consuming my egg whites is a good choice. However, avoid eating too many egg yolks because they are high in fat and may cause reflux.
•Baked goodies – Consider plain bread or rolls, pancakes, waffles, bagels, or low-fat muffins in place of high-fat foods like biscuits, croissants, doughnuts, or sweet rolls.
What to avoid as GERD Diet?
•Spicy foods – The chemical component that gives food its spicy flavour, capsaicin, can aggravate certain areas of the oesophagus and cause acid reflux. It is best to switch to healthy snacks.
•Fatty foods – Fatty foods typically cause your LES to relax and your stomach to take longer to empty. This may increase your risk of experiencing reflux symptoms.
•Citrus fruits – Citrus fruits have high citric acid content, which makes your stomach produce more acid. Your stomach becomes more full as a result, increasing the likelihood of reflux.
•Dairy – Dairy products, such as milk, tend to be high in fat and aggravate heartburn. When you experience heartburn or other GERD symptoms frequently, eating high-fat dairy products like cheese can make them worse.
•Chocolate – Caffeine, which relaxes the LES, is present in chocolate in similar amounts to coffee. Another acidic substance that can raise stomach acid is cocoa powder.
•Caffeine – The caffeine in coffee is almost a necessity especially in winters as it keeps them energised all day. However, coffee’s caffeine also makes the LES’s contractions less effective. It might not be enough to drink one cup of coffee a day to cause issues. However, the amount of caffeine you consume might hold the key.
•Soda – Caffeine can be found in cola, energy drinks, and even some citrus sodas. The more frequently you consume caffeinated, sugary drinks, the more likely it is that your LES won’t work properly. The stomach’s internal pressure rises as a result of the carbon dioxide in sodas. Reflux becomes more likely when the pressure builds up and caffeine’s LES-relaxing properties are exaggerate GERD further.
•Tomatoes – These ripe fruits are a common ingredient in many dishes. Many of our favourite foods are tasty because of their flavour. But tomatoes also contain a lot of acids. The acids in tomatoes will make your stomach more acidic, just like citrus does.
GERD is often treatable through a combination of lifestyle changes, dietary modifications and medication. If you need further guidance, feel free to connect with Kanupriya Khanna who has been working in this field since 2003. She is regarded as one of the best dietitians in Delhi because of her unwavering commitment to making a difference in people’s lives by instilling good eating habits and lifestyles.