Foods To Skip On An Acid Reflux Diet
- Fried foods: French fries, fatty meat like hamburgers, fried chicken, etc.
- Spicy foods: If it makes you want to reach for a drink to cool down, its probably going to cause heartburn!
- Caffeine and alcohol: These can be hard to avoid, but are technically considered triggers.
- Citrus fruits: Oranges, lemons, limes, pineapples, and grapefruit are the biggest acid reflux culprits.
- Tomato products: This includes tomato sauce and any creamy sauces with a tomato base.
- Chocolate: Sad, but true!
- Peppermint: This includes peppermint-flavored candy.
- Garlic and onions: If you find yourself dealing with heartburn at home, try avoiding these delicious common ingredients.
In addition to making sure you follow a safe acid reflux diet, the ACOG said that maintaining a healthy weight, not eating two to three hours before going to sleep, and quitting smoking are all healthy lifestyle changes that will reduce and may help eliminate acid reflux for good!
Why Do Smoothies Give Me Heartburn
Smoothies are a very popular beverage that people drink for pleasure, flavor, and health benefits.
Theyre very versatile, as you can make them from basically any vegetable and fruit.
When theyre made in a healthy way with fresh ingredients, they provide you with a lot of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.
But sometimes, when you drink too many smoothies at once, you might notice that you experience heartburn-like symptoms. So, why do smoothies cause heartburn?
Can Coconut Milk Upset Your Stomach
Indeed, consuming coconut milk in moderation is beneficial for health. Yet, if you drink too much milk, you can end up with more problems than benefits.
Coconut milk is high in calories and fat, particularly saturated fat. It can therefore contribute to weight gain. Thus, if you are concerned about your calorie intake, you should limit your milk intake.
Also, coconut milk contains fermentable carbohydrates. It can trigger severe digestive problems, such as constipation or diarrhea in people with IBS.
Food and Drug Administration has classified coconut as a tree nut . So, people with nut allergies can take it without any allergic reaction. However, some of its proteins are similar to tree nuts, which may cause an adverse reaction.
The coconut milk allergy is very similar to other food allergies. Nevertheless, it is very rare. If you have this allergy, you should avoid any coconut product, be it milk, flesh, or water. People with coconut milk allergies may experience these symptoms:
Donât Miss: Almond Mocha Smoothie King Recipe
You May Like: Best Smoothies For Keto Diet
What To Drink For Acid Reflux
If the smoothie recipe below helps naturally provide heartburn relief, then try these drinks as well:
Herbal tea– Herbs are great for a variety of ailments, and can assist with acid indigestion as well. Look for a stress relief chamomile or a tea targeting digestion if you want natural heartburn relief.
Low-acid smoothies– fruits like bananas, coconuts, dates + figs, melons, papaya, berries and stone fruits like nectarines and peaches are low acid options. The smoothie recipe below is also a great option!
100% fruit juice– Juice made from 100% fruit like peaches, berries and coconut can keep symptoms at bay.
Water– While this seems like an odd choice, hear me out! Water really does help the body process food, and keep things moving down .
Golden milk– turmeric is naturally anti inflammatory and can help soothe.
Plant milk like almond, oat or coconut– if dairy becomes too heavy for you, then switching to a plant milk can help calm down heartburn symptoms. My acid reflux smoothie contains cashew milk, yet swap in the preferred milk of your choice.
Are Fruit Smoothies Good For Heartburn
If youre one of the millions of Americans who suffer from heartburn, or acid reflux, you know that finding relief can be a challenge. While there are plenty of over-the-counter and prescription medications available, many people prefer to avoid drugs if possible. If youre looking for a natural way to ease your heartburn symptoms, you may want to try drinking a fruit smoothie.While theres no guarantee that a fruit smoothie will completely relieve your heartburn symptoms, it cant hurt to give it a try. After all, smoothies are packed with nutrients that are good for your overall health. Plus, theyre usually easy on the stomach since theyre mostly liquid. And since they contain fruit, they can help neutralize some of the acid in your stomach.When making a smoothie to help with heartburn, be sure to use low-acid fruits like bananas, melons, and apples. You can also add in some alkalizing ingredients like ginger or almond milk. Avoid using high-acid fruits like oranges and pineapples as well as trigger foods that are known to exacerbate heartburn symptoms such as tomatoes and caffeine. Start by blending up just a few ingredients at first so you can see how your body reacts. If everything goes well, feel free to add more fruits and vegetables to your smoothie recipe!
Don’t Miss: Healthy Smoothie Recipes For Diabetics
Health Benefits Of Coconut Milk On The Stomach
Coconut milk is very gentle on the stomach. It promotes digestion and stomach health. Millions of people worldwide use it as a healthy diet plan.
Here are a few of the stomach-friendly properties of coconut milk:
- Coconut milk is plant-based milk. Thus, it is considered a non-dairy and lactose-free milk alternative. Therefore, it is safe and effective for people with milk allergies or lactose intolerance to drink it.
- Moreover, several minerals in coconut milk, notably zinc, support intestinal wall regeneration. In other words, it prevents the spread of harmful bacteria from the intestinal lumen to the blood. Moreover, it reduces the incidence of diarrhea to a great extent.
- Among others, coconut milk can help treat gastric and peptic ulcers. Its antibacterial properties inhibit the growth of ulcer-casting bacteria and reduce infection risk. Moreover, consuming coconut milk or water reduces ulcer size.
- Whats more, coconut milk contains natural electrolytes and healthy fats. It, therefore, hydrates and supports the health of digestive organs. Thus, it facilitates the guts ability to process fat, eliminate waste, and help prevent many gut problems.
- Also, coconut milk contains lauric acid. It promotes the resistance of bacteria and viruses to infection. It also maintains gut-bacterial balance.
- Magnesium found in coconut milk promotes healthy digestion and stimulates bowel movement. It is an excellent remedy for constipation.
Related Reading
Prevent Smoothie From Turning Brown
When you mix greens and berries youll have a brown smoothie. Both smoothies above have the same exact ingredients, we just blended some of it separately.
To keep your green smoothie green and pink smoothie pink blend the greens separate from the reds and purples.
You can make a layered smoothie by making the smoothie thicker, or just mix them together in the same glass before drinking.
If you liked this smoothie recipe you may also like our breakfast smoothie or our banana smoothie with yogurt!
Read Also: Vitamix Smoothie Recipes For Weight Loss
This Is Also A Vegan Smoothie
A smoothie makes for a great addition to your breakfast. I like having a toasted English muffin with avocado, tomato, and cracked pepper & salt with my morning smoothie.
When trying to reduce acid reflux youll want to try to avoid acidic food, trigger foods, spicy foods, fried foods, processed foods, caffeine, and chocolate.
Stick to eating smaller meals about 5-6 per day, ones that dont make you feel overfull. Once you feel full your stomach contents will rise up into your esophagus. Raising your bed by the headboard and not eating 3 hours before lying down for bed also helps some.
Skip sodas, coffees, teas, and opt for water. We drink high pH water, evamor or essentia when drinking water on an empty stomach.
Ensure youre eating fresh fruits and vegetables with a pH level of 5 and above .
Is Strawberry Jam Good For Acid Reflux
Normally, strawberry jams are high in sugar and other additives which make them generally bad for stomach health. However, eating it in small amounts such as on toast or a piece of bread may not contribute to acid reflux.
However, if you opt for a homemade strawberry jam with no added sugar and chemical additives it may not trigger heartburn or gastric distress.
Don’t Miss: Ninja Blender And Smoothie Maker
What Else Can You Do Besides Smoothies
After having made the necessary changes in your diet, what else can you do when heartburn strikes?
- Drink your smoothies slowly In fact, you should try to drink and eat everything more slowly when youre dealing with acid reflux.
- Consume smaller meals Larger meals may put pressure on your muscle that helps keep stomach acids from backing up into your esophagus.
- Stand up straight Acid reflux can get worse if youre sitting or lying down. Whenever you feel heartburn or chest discomfort try standing up.
- Try dopping a few pounds Overweight is one of the most common causes of GERD and acid reflux. Those extra pounds may increase your abdominal pressure and make heartburn more likely.
- Chew sugarless gums after meals It can help promote salivation which may help neutralize the acid. Keep in mind, however, that peppermint-flavored gum should be avoided!
- Avoid eating before going to bed Having a meal three hours before lying down can make your symptoms worse. Its best to have your anti-acid reflux smoothies early in the morning or for lunch.
- Try baking soda with water Baking soda mixed in water is considered being highly-alkaline. It may help you neutralize your stomach acids. A teaspoon dissolved in one glass of water should do the trick!
Top 7 Foods & Smoothies With Banana For Acid Reflux Condition
Acid reflux, also known as acid indigestion, is a common phenomenon in the humans that regularly occurs as the acid in the stomach flows back into the esophagus even with other contents. As usual, the lower esophageal sphincter closes soon after food goes through it, but when this LES functions improperly then the stomach acid will flow back up to the esophagus. That means the lining of the esophagus will be irritated thereby causing acid reflux.
Acid reflux can be seen from the heartburn, nausea, hard swallowing, bloating, or the burning sensation in the upper abdomen, in the chest, and the bone behind the breast. People have been found many ways to treat acid reflux including medical methods, but it is advised to apply effective home remedies in which you mainly avoid the beverage and food triggering the problem in the combination with consuming some foods that are good for the digestion. And the banana is considered as an excellent one for this problem. This fruit is able to neutralize the stomach, so a regular consumption of banana can help remove acid reflux quickly and completely
Also Check: Best Personal Blender For Green Smoothies
Is Strawberry Good For Acid Reflux
Fresh strawberries have a significant amount of acid. Eating strawberries when you have flares of acid reflux or acidity may trigger your condition and aggravate your symptoms.
Therefore, it is generally good to say no to strawberries during an acidic reflux condition .
However, it is also rich in vitamins, magnesium, iron, folate, and antioxidants which contribute positively to health.
Moreover, strawberries are a rich source of dietary fiber which work to promote digestion and stomach health. So it is clear that you should not eat strawberries for acid reflux, but can strawberries cause acid reflux?
Best Breakfast Cereal For Acid Reflux
One of the keys to managing GERD is eating small meals so you can avoid putting pressure on your lower esophageal sphincter. Thus, a small bowl of cereal is a good choice, but be sure you choose a low-sugar cereal and whole-grain option. Adding almond milk lets you enjoy a nutty flavor without aggravating acid reflux symptoms with dairy. Consider adding half a handful of raisins and a 1/4 cup of your favorite nuts for sweetness and protein.
- 1 1/2 cups puffed wheat cereal
You May Like: Matcha Smoothie Recipe Weight Loss
Symptoms Of Acid Reflux Disease:
- Heartburn is the most common and well-recognised symptom of heartburn. This is a burning sensation experienced from the stomach to the chest and the throat.
- Throat soreness
- Difficulty or pain swallowing
Since food plays a central part in causing or worsening the condition, it is imperative that you better understand your eating habits. Learn what foods that cause acid reflux and what prevents it. Consult a nutritionist to learn more about this. Keep reading to find out the foods that may trigger heartburn.
Carrot Juice For Acid Reflux
Acid reflux causes a rumbling stomach that is worsened when you eat. Most people face this problem if they eat spicy food or lie down too soon after eating. Symptoms include heartburn and chest pains.
Indeed, acidic content from the stomach enters our esophagus and causes this condition. Carrot juice is an ideal option to soothe the chest burning. In carrot juice, alkaline components and vitamin A neutralize acidity. Also, it reduces gastric inflammation.
Moreover, beta-carotene in carrots helps to heal stomach tissue damaged by acid. Furthermore, carrots high fiber content makes you feel fuller for longer. Thereby, it reduces the risk of overeating, thus lowers acid reflux.
A carrot is also a good source of fiber, both soluble and insoluble, which is great for aiding digestion. So, drinking carrot juice 30 minutes before eating can improve digestion.
Don’t Miss: Large Strawberry Banana Smoothie Mcdonalds
Breakfast Foods To Avoid With Acid Reflux
Acid reflux symptoms may be triggered by spicy foods, fatty foods, fried foods, mint, chocolate, tomato-based foods, onion, garlic, coffee, alcohol, and citrus fruits.
To prevent GERD symptoms avoid these common breakfast foods:
- High-fat breakfast meats such as sausage and bacon
- Omelets, eggs, and hash browns fried in butter or oil and containing spices
- Pastries such as doughnuts and Danishes
- Orange juice, grapefruit juice, and tomato juice
- Bloody Marys, which contain spicy tomato-based mix and alcohol
- Coffee and cocoa
It also helps to have smaller meals since meals with large amounts of food and calories can trigger acid reflux.
No matter which GERD-friendly foods you choose, make sure to stay well hydrated throughout the day.
Breakfast Ideas For People With Acid Reflux
Certain foods may trigger symptoms
Verywell / Zorica Lakonic
What can you have for breakfast that won’t trigger your acid reflux? Breakfast doesn’t have to be boring or bland when you have acid reflux. While you may need to avoid some traditional favoritesespecially fried food, high-fat meat, and whole-milk dairy productsyou can still enjoy a wide variety of foods.
Whole grains, sweet fruit, and savory foods that are acid reflux-friendly can all be part of a healthy breakfast. These sample menus offer some ideas.
You May Like: Are Smoothies Good For Weight Loss
What Is An Alkaline Smoothie
An alkaline smoothie is a smoothie that has a high pH level and shouldnt cause acid reflux or GERD symptoms. Smoothies can be loaded with acid once you add in things like berries, and juices. Its important to make sure that youre not just consuming an acidic smoothie if you easily suffer from indigestion. I definitely suffer after consuming coffee. Almond milk has an alkaline composition which helps neutralize your stomach acid, so I always have that in the house, especially for smoothies.
If your doctor suggests a change in diet, consider The Acid Watchers Book by Dr. Aviv. It contains a 28 day diet program that may help your reflux/GERD symptoms. After reading many books which were supposed to help, this one actually did.
Which Carrot Juice Works Best For Acid Reflux
While there are many colors of carrots available today, purple carrots are the most antioxidant-rich. The antioxidants in purple carrots are more potent than those found in yellow, red, orange, white, and red carrots.
Although all carrots are nutritious and healthy still, purple carrot juice can benefit stomach health greatly. Due to its high anthocyanin content, it reduces stomach inflammation and soothes the stomach lining. Consequently, it reduces acid reflux and lowers GERD symptoms more effectively.
Besides improving stomach health, it also helps lose weight, maintains heart health, and increases energy levels.
You May Like: Where’s The Closest Smoothie King
Vegetables For Neutralizing Stomach Acid
Out of pure interest, I always keep one eye on the study situation around acid reflux and heartburn. Because of that I have recently encountered two very interesting, fairly recent studies of that topic.
Both studies research how effectively certain foodstuffs can be used as antacids .
These foods support restoring the natural gastrointestinal balance and the function of this tract. They help buffer the acid reflux, support the digestion process, reduce the burning sensation and soothe the inflamed stomach lining.
The study investigates the antacid effect of several foodstuffs and compares their effects to water and to the active controls: sodium bicarbonate and a marketed antacid . The foods used during this study were broccoli, cucumber, kale, radish, lemon juice, cold milk and curd.
While lemon juice unsurprisingly fails to deliver antacid effects, all the other foods broccoli, cucumber, kale, radish, and spinach – proved to be strong antacids.
However, I would like to expressly point out the risks of milk and curd as home remedies for heartburn.
Although these have a positive effect on many people in the short term, as the studies have shown, they are unsuitable for safely fighting heartburn. Cows milk is both difficult to digest and relatively greasy, and therefore remains in the stomach for a long time, thus stimulating gastric acid production. Hence, I would not recommend the milk products , nor lemon juice at all.