By Dr. Rafiul Sameer Islam
Heartburn is something that almost everyone experiences at one time or another. While this condition is normal occasionally, it can be harmful when it occurs more often.
Your diet plays a crucial role in the development of heartburn. The foods you eat affect the amount of acid your stomach produces. They can also impact the function of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) — the muscular valve that separates the esophagus and stomach.
Eating the right kinds of foods is key to managing acid reflux. This article will highlight the top foods that help with heartburn and the trigger foods you should avoid. Keep reading to learn more about how your diet can impact heartburn.
What’s the Difference Between Heartburn and Acid Reflux?
Before we jump into the foods that help heartburn, we’ll first distinguish the difference between heartburn and acid reflux. Heartburn is a sharp, burning pain that’s felt beneath the sternum. It’s a symptom of acid reflux.
Acid reflux occurs when the LES spontaneously relaxes. This allows stomach acid to leak into the esophagus. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a more severe form of acid reflux. This condition describes heartburn that occurs at least two times per week. Without treatment, GERD can damage the esophagus.
Eating foods that are low in acid can help prevent heartburn. By lowering the amount of acid in your stomach, you can lessen the chance of acid reflux.
1) Whole Grains
Whole grains such as oatmeal, brown rice, and couscous are high in fiber. Research shows that eating dietary fiber can reduce stomach acidity. A high-fiber diet can also lower the number of acid reflux and heartburn episodes.
2) Ginger
People have used ginger as a digestive aid for centuries. Ginger may help relieve heartburn due to its anti-inflammatory properties. You can reap the benefits of this natural root by drinking a cup of ginger tea before meals.
3) Non-Citrus Fruits
Watermelon, cantaloupe, bananas, and pears are all low in acidity. Eating these fruits can lower the amount of acid in your stomach. What’s more, these fruits have a high water content, which can dilute stomach acid.
4) Vegetables
Vegetables contain fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Adding more vegetables to your diet can reduce stomach acid and improve the function of the LES. Low-acid vegetables that can help heartburn include asparagus, leafy greens, and sweet potatoes.
5) Low-Fat Yogurt
Yogurt can reduce heartburn symptoms by soothing an irritated esophagus. As a bonus, yogurt contains probiotics, which may improve the health of gut bacteria.
6) Legumes
Legumes are alkaline, which means they are the opposite of acidic. Eating more legumes such as beans, peas, and lentils can help neutralize stomach acid and reduce your risk of heartburn.
7) Nuts & Seeds
Eating small amounts of nuts and seeds provides your body with healthy fat, protein, and fiber. Adding almonds, flaxseeds, and chia seeds to your diet may increase the strength of the LES and prevent stomach acid from leaking into the esophagus.
Foods to Avoid
Certain foods can increase the risk of acid reflux, resulting in heartburn. While these foods don’t cause symptoms for everyone, they can be problematic for many people.
Of course, you should always use your body as a guide to determine what foods you should avoid. Everyone is different, so foods that worsen heartburn in other people may not affect you. We’ll outline the most common foods that cause heartburn below.
Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits are high in acid. Eating these foods can increase stomach acid and relax the LES. Examples of citrus fruits include oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes.
Fatty Foods
Fat is more challenging to digest than carbohydrates and protein. Eating fatty foods causes the stomach to produce more acid to help break them down. This can delay stomach emptying and weaken the LES. You should limit your intake of processed foods such as potato chips and baked goods. Eating fried foods such as french fries, donuts, and fried chicken can also lead to heartburn.
Spicy Foods
Spicy foods can irritate the inner lining of the esophagus and lead to worsening acid reflux symptoms. Spicy foods include black pepper, garlic, raw onions, and chili powder.
Red Wine
Red wine is a highly acidic, alcoholic beverage. This combination can be a double whammy for heartburn. Drinking alcohol can relax the LES and increase the production of stomach acid.
Chocolate
Chocolate is naturally acidic. For some people, eating chocolate can relax the LES. This makes it more likely for the stomach contents to flow backward into the esophagus.
Tomatoes
Tomato-based products such as marinara sauce, tomato soup, and ketchup are highly acidic. Eating these foods can increase acid reflux symptoms by increasing the amount of acid in the stomach.
Find Your Trigger Foods
Some people have unique intolerances to certain foods. These foods are known as trigger foods. If you experience a burning pain in your chest or throat after eating something, it likely means that food triggered your acid reflux. Avoiding trigger foods can help control heartburn and improve your quality of life.
The best way to identify trigger foods is to keep a food diary. You’ll want to write down important information such as:
- The foods you eat
- The time of day you eat
- The symptoms that you experience
A food diary can pinpoint the causes of acid reflux so that you know what foods to avoid in the future. A food diary can also provide valuable information to your doctor that can help create a treatment plan to manage your symptoms.
The Bottom Line
Occasional heartburn is a normal part of life. But heartburn that occurs more frequently can signify a bigger problem. If you experience heartburn more than once a week, you should see your doctor.
Making changes to your diet can improve your ability to manage heartburn. You should eat foods that help with heartburn and avoid triggering foods that worsen symptoms. You can use the food recommendations above as a guide in conjunction with your food diary and doctor’s advice.
If you have any questions about certain foods in your diet, you should talk to your doctor. Foods that trigger or help improve acid reflux for one person may be problematic for someone else.
Dietary changes often help with mild symptoms. But severe cases of acid reflux may not improve with diet alone. Your doctor may recommend other treatment options such as prescription medications or surgery.
If you’re suffering from heartburn, make an appointment with your healthcare provider.
Sameer Islam, MD is a board-certified Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist practicing at Lubbock Gastroenterology in Lubbock, Texas. For an appointment feel free to contact his office at (806)-696-4440 You can get more information from his webpage (https://lubbockgastro.com/) where you can also subscribe to his monthly newsletter. He also has a weekly Facebook Live show on Tuesday , 8:30 PM CST.
