Common Foods and Beverages Associated With Heartburn
By CH Woods Heartburn is a painful problem that affects about 10% of the U.S. population at any given moment. The signs and symptoms of heartburn is that of an uncomfortable burning sensation in the lower chest, usually caused by stomach acid flowing back into the lower end of the esophagus. Heartburn is the result of acid reflux; upward ejection of acid from the stomach into the esophagus, causing pain known as heartburn. The acid will eat away at the lining of the esophagus which can cause those frequent heartburn symptoms. Your overall health and lifestyle play a major role in heartburn. It has been suggested that quitting smoking and exercising regularly can both reduce the likelihood of acid reflux and heartburn. The kind of food and the amount you eat can worsen acid reflux, resulting in heartburn. If you have problems with heartburn, try having smaller servings of four to six meals per day. Below is a list of the most common foods and beverages that can trigger heartburn: Fried Food Fatty fried foods can be make conditions much more severe for a person struggling with acid reflux. Although fried foods might look dry and crisp, they actually have a lot of oil in their coating. Foods full of fat also take much longer to break down which puts pressure on your esophagus and stomach. This increases the chance of acid reflux because of the amount of time your stomach acids will be working to break these down. Rather than eating fried foods, try poaching or grilling your meals. Not only does this help you avoid calories, but it can protect you from heartburn symptoms as well. Butter We now know that fatty fried foods are likely to cause heartburn, but you might not realize that how you prepare your food may also have something to do with it. Frying ingredients in butter and oil can add unnecessary calories and extra fat to your meals. As an alternative, buy a nonstick pan and use only a small amount of cooking spray. Steaming and grilling are also good choices. Avoid adding butter on your cooked vegetables as well. Tomatoes Tomatoes can be a major trigger for heartburn symptoms. While they may be extremely healthy to eat, tomatoes are naturally loaded with acid. This could aggravate your stomach, triggering acid reflux as you digest it. Remember to avoid sauces that contain tomatoes too. Pasta sauce is a major trigger that most people forget about. Also take into account that there are condiments full of tomatoes, like ketchup and salsa for example. Coffee Drinking coffee all day long could potentially cause heartburn. Coffee contains acid, which can worsen acid reflux. Just about any drink full of caffeine can cause acid reflux. The caffeine relaxes the esophagus which allows the stomach acid to enter up into it. Decaf coffee can also be loaded with acid, despite the fact that there is less caffeine. Moderation is important when it comes to coffee, so feel free to enjoy your coffee early in the day, but try not to drink it every hour of the day. Garlic Garlic is a common trigger for those struggling with heartburn. A lot of people think of garlic as a healthy food and it is advised that people eat it when their stomachs feel upset. If you suffer from heartburn, try to remove garlic from your diet to see if it will help relieve your symptoms. As an alternative to garlic, spice your food with various herbs to boost the flavor. Alcohol Alcohol is considered a huge cause of heartburn. Red wine and beer are extremely likely to trigger acid reflux. Like caffeine, alcohol relaxes your esophagus which allows the stomach acid to irritate it. Seek Medical Advice You should never make changes to your diet or lifestyle without first seeking the advice of a licensed practitioner. * * * CH Woods is the Executive Director of Organic & Environmental Products.
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