Reviewed by Dr.Vijaykumar Kamat & written by
Dr. Vijay Kumar Kamat.
Diet for Acid Reflux
When it comes to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or acid reflux, diet and nutrition play a very important role. Eliminating the triggers is the most important key to control GERD and studies suggest eating low-fat, high-protein meals can help alleviate the symptoms and keep the discomfort at bay.
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Does Food Influence GERD?
What you eat can affect the amount of acid production in your stomach. Some foods have a tendency to produce more acid that can directly irritate the esophagus. Symptoms of reflux occur when the acid in the stomach moves back into the esophagus due to a damaged or weak lower esophageal sphincter (LES). Making diet changes, eliminating foods that trigger, and following a healthy lifestyle is all you need to control your symptoms or discomfort.
Recommended Foods:
- It is advisable to eat plenty of vegetables in GERD, food should be in small portions. Preferably consume bitter and pungent vegetables such as bitter gourd, fenugreek, sprouts and radish leaf, bottle gourd, squash, asparagus, carrot and green beans.
- We recommend to steam-cook vegetables, rather than eating them raw, to improve digestion.
- Oatmeal, ginger, aloe vera, banana, melons, fennel, cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, green beans, celery, parsley, Couscous (semolina wheat), bulgur wheat, and rice (especially brown rice)
- Have yogurt and probiotics
Foods for Moderate Consumption:
Avoid or minimize nightshades such as potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, and berries which may clog the microchannels of the body.
Foods to Avoid:
- Avoid cold food, sweets, and food heavy to digest as they are known to create more internal toxins. Fruit juices and very sweet fruits such as grapes should also be avoided.
- Avoid leftovers, frozen or preserved food as they are harder to digest than fresh foods
- Avoid caffeine, nicotine, alcohol and carbonated beverages.
- Avoid processed and junk foods and refined flour.
- Avoid bread, biscuits and pasta, aged cheese, mushrooms, and peanuts.
- Avoid fermented foods such as vinegar and products that contain fermented foods as ingredients
- Avoid garlic, onion, and spicy food
Home Remedies:
Freshly expressed curry leaf juice with lime and sugar is an effective remedy to overcome symptoms of GERD, this mixture is also beneficial in morning sickness, nausea, and vomiting. One or two teaspoons of this juice should be taken 2-3 times daily.
