We often get to hear members in our family complaining about the last food that they ate and how bad they need some medicine for acidity now, right? Well, sometimes it happens to us as well. Some food items cause burning in the chest, an unpleasant bitter taste in the throat, and bloating in the stomach. This makes the situation worse as a result.
Acid reflux takes place when the sphincter at the bottom of the esophagus is not functioning the way it should be, enabling fluid from the stomach to reach the esophagus. Certain food can worsen the symptoms of acid reflux. Here are the worst foods for reflux mentioned below:
High-fat meals and fried foods
When you consume fatty foods, they make the pressure on the LES low, and the emptying of stomach delays. This then increases the symptoms of reflux. Therefore, if you want to prevent reflux, you should try cutting off the total fat intake. Some of the high-fat foods that you should avoid are deep-fried onion rings, butter, potato chips, whole milk, ice cream, cheese, high fat sour cream, French fries, creamy sauces and dips, high fat creamy salad dressings, high-fat cuts of red meat, etc.
Spicy foods
Some studies revealed that spicy foods can be the reason for abdominal pain and also may cause burning symptoms; especially if you have a functional gastrointestinal disorder. A chemical compound called Capsaicin makes the food taste spicy and also irritates the esophagus, which ultimately results in acid reflux. Therefore, if you have the tendency of acid reflux, you should start avoiding spicy foods as much as possible.
Fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables must be consumed by use on a daily basis to take good care of our health. However, certain types of fruits and vegetables can make your GERD symptoms not bad but worse. The fruits and veggies that can cause trouble to you are Pineapple, Oranges, Grapefruits, Lemons, Limes, Tomatoes, Onions, Garlic, etc.
Beverages
We all consume several kinds of beverages and some of them are the kinds that we cannot skip on, right? Well, a few of the drinks may trigger your symptoms of acid reflux and trouble you for some time. Some of the beverages are Alcohol, Coffee and Tea, Citrus and Tomato juices, and Carbonated beverages. However, not all of us get triggered by all of these beverages. Therefore, you need to pay heed to the ones that cause you problems.
Other foods, medications, and supplements
There are several other foods, supplements, and medications that may trouble your LES and it may start functioning poorly. This can further lead to GERD symptoms. A few of them are mint, such as peppermint or spearmint, chocolate, heavily processed foods, aspirin or other pain relievers, alpha-blockers, antibiotics, tricyclics, bisphosphonates, iron or potassium supplements, calcium channel blockers, nitrates, theophylline, etc.
These are some of the food items that can cause irritation in your stomach and you will feel unwell once you consume them. If you figure out which food items do not suit you, the best solution is to start avoiding them.
If you often experience acid reflux, you need to get in touch with a medical practitioner. Not taking the right medication and treatment for this can only make it worse. You can also buy a health insurance policy since the doctor’s consultation fees and treatment will be covered under the policy.
To find some of the top health insurance policies in the country, you can visit the IIFL website. You can also use the health insurance premium calculator to have an idea of the premium amount that you have to pay.
