Foods That Cause Reflux

Many people believe eating spicy, hot and acidic food causes acid reflux. While certain foods can aggravate your condition, acid reflux disease is actually caused by a weakened lower esophageal sphincter (LES) muscle that doesn't open and close properly, allowing stomach acid to rise into the esophagus. Although foods don't cause acid reflux disease, some foods cause reflux symptoms to worsen.

Identification

Discovering which foods cause reflux symptoms to act up can be tricky. The foods that aggravate the condition vary from person to person. You may easily tolerate a food that causes heartburn, regurgitation and chest pain in someone else. Keep a record of what food causes symptoms.

Acidic Foods

Acidic food such as tomatoes and citrus fruit, caffeinated food and drinks like coffee, tea and chocolate, peppermint, spearmint, onions, and alcohol can trigger acid reflux by making the stomach produce more acid, relaxing the LES muscle, or putting pressure on the stomach. Try these foods one at a time to find out if they may be worsening your symptoms.

Fats

Foods high in fat affect pressure in your stomach by staying in your stomach longer than other foods. They take a long time to digest, which causes your stomach to make excess acid that pushes them back into the esophagus. Processed, spicy, fried, and fast food can cause symptoms of reflux. Healthier food and several small meals a day rather than three large ones can help food digest faster and easier, avoiding effects of reflux.

Dairy

You may think drinking milk after a large meal will soothe your stomach, but it can have a rebound effect because the fats, protein, and lactic acid delay emptying of the stomach and cause it to produce more acid. Drink nonfat or low-fat milk. Also avoid other dairy food that can exacerbate reflux such as sour cream, whole cottage cheese and ice cream.

Processed Food

The more processed food is, the more likely it is to cause health problems. Processed foods that can exacerbate reflux are usually high in unhealthy fats, such as doughnuts, cookies, potato chips, and cake.