Certain foods tend to encourage symptoms of GERD. You may be advised to eat these foods less often or to cut them out of your diet completely. If your esophagus is damaged from GERD, it’s also important to avoid foods that can irritate this more sensitive tissue and damage it further. The way you eat may also be a factor in your symptoms. Changing the size and timing of your meals can significantly reduce heartburn, regurgitation, and other symptoms of GERD. You may also be advised to eat in a way that helps you lose weight, since extra weight can put pressure on your abdomen and increase your risk of GERD symptoms. (1,2) Items that people with GERD are often advised to avoid include:
AlcoholCaffeineCarbonated beveragesChocolateTomatoes and tomato-based foodsGarlicMintOnionsSpicy foodsFatty foodsFried foods (1,2)
Some of these items — including fatty foods, chocolate, peppermint, and alcohol — are thought to worsen GERD symptoms by relaxing the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), the ring of muscle that separates your stomach from your esophagus. This allows the stomach’s contents to enter the esophagus, causing heartburn. Other items — including tomatoes and citrus fruits — are believed to aggravate symptoms by increasing the acidity of your stomach. (3) They can also irritate the damaged lining of your esophagus. (4) Because it’s carbonated and also often contains caffeine, soda can be an especially problematic beverage for people with GERD. Chocolate may be one of the worst foods for people with GERD because it contains high levels of fat as well as caffeine. The most problematic fatty foods include high-fat dairy products, as well as fatty cuts of meat and processed meats like hot dogs and luncheon meat. (6) Different people will have different reactions to individual foods. Pay attention to your diet, and if a food or beverage gives you heartburn, consider avoiding it. RELATED: 9 Refreshing Alternatives to Drink Instead of Soda The following replacements may help you avoid symptoms. Milk Products Instead of whole milk and full-fat dairy products, try reduced-fat, low-fat, or fat-free milk, yogurt, cheese, or ice cream. Alternatively, you can try nondairy options like soy or almond milk, or nondairy ice cream alternatives. Baked Goods Instead of high-fat items like biscuits, croissants, doughnuts, or sweet rolls, try plain bread or rolls, pancakes, waffles, bagels, or low-fat muffins. Meats and Other Proteins Instead of fatty meat, fried meat, lunch meat, or sausages, try lean meat, poultry without its skin, fish, tofu, or eggs. Fruits Instead of citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit, try any other fresh, frozen, or canned fruit or fruit juice that you can tolerate well. Vegetables Instead of fried or creamed vegetables, onions, tomatoes and tomato products, or vegetable juices, try a variety of other fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables that are prepared without added fat. Soups Instead of creamy or tomato-based soups, try lean broth-based soups or homemade soups made with lean ingredients, including low-fat or fat-free milk instead of cream. Potatoes and Other Starches Instead of french fries, potato chips, risotto, or pasta with creamy or tomato-based sauces, try baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes, plain pasta or rice, or pasta with a low-fat milk-based sauce. Snacks Instead of fried chips, nuts, guacamole, cheese dip, or sour cream-based dips, try crackers, pretzels, corn tortillas, low-fat hummus, or sliced fruits (other than citrus) or vegetables. Sweets and Desserts Instead of chocolate, cookies, cakes, pastries, or peppermints, try marshmallows, hard candies other than mints, angel food cake, gelatin desserts, fruit-based desserts, sherbet, or low-fat pudding. (6) Common recommendations include: Eat smaller meals. Having less food more frequently can reduce pressure in your stomach. Higher stomach pressure may cause your LES to relax, allowing your stomach’s contents to flow up into your esophagus. Eat slowly. You’re less likely to stuff yourself or irritate your esophagus or stomach if you take smaller bites and chew your food thoroughly. Don’t lie down right after eating. If you stay upright for two to three hours after eating, you’ll reduce your risk of reflux. When you stand or sit upright, gravity helps keep your stomach’s contents from flowing upward. When you lie down, it’s easier for them to enter your esophagus. Don’t snack unless you’re actually hungry. When your stomach is full, eating more can increase stomach pressure. Avoid tight clothing around your waist. If your clothing puts pressure on your abdomen when you eat, this can in turn put pressure on your stomach and LES. Eat to maintain a healthy weight. Not carrying extra pounds eliminates a source of pressure inside your abdomen. (1,6) Additional reporting by Quinn Phillips.
