Contents:
- Medical Video: Can You Drink Water When You Eat?
- Overview of GERD
- A list of foods that should be avoided if you have GERD
- Is it true that sugar makes stomach acid go up?
Medical Video: Can You Drink Water When You Eat?
There are some foods that should be avoided if you have GERD, aka gastric reflux disorder which causes the chest to feel hot because stomach acid rises into the throat. The most common causes of stomach acid problems are carbonated drinks and acidic fruits, such as oranges and tomatoes. So, is it true that rumors say that foods high in sugar make stomach acid rise too?
Overview of GERD
Gastric reflux is backflow of stomach acid or rising stomach acid into the esophagus, due to sphincter muscles (muscles in the form of rings that separate the esophagus from the stomach) which weakens. In most cases, this is normal and sometimes can happen to anyone.
GERD is a chronic digestive disorder characterized by frequent and ongoing increases in stomach acid (at least more than twice per week). In other words, GERD is a more severe condition for gastric acid reflux.
One of the causes of stomach acid reflux is the food and drinks you consume.
A list of foods that should be avoided if you have GERD
If you have an acid reflux disorder, you should avoid or reduce the following foods and drinks:
- Caffeine (coffee, tea, chocolate)
- Carbonated drinks or soda
- Chocolate bars, either milk chocolate or dark chocolate
- Mint leaves, garlic, and bombay
- The family of oranges (sweet orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit), tomatoes and products from tomatoes, because they are acidic
- Spicy and fatty food
- Fried
- Alcohol
- High-fat milk
- Meat high in fat
- Alcohol
Is it true that sugar makes stomach acid go up?
Not. GUla in its purest form does not cause stomach acid to rise. Even so, some foods that trigger stomach acid can contain sugar, so it is often misunderstood that sugar makes stomach acid rise.
Some of the foods that trigger stomach acid mentioned above contain compounds that can loosen the esophageal ring muscles, called sphincter, making it easier for stomach acid to turn upward. For example caffeine in tea, coffee, or compoundsmethylxantine and theobromine in chocolate. Meanwhile, sour drinks and citrus fruits that are acidic can trigger an increase in stomach acid production.
In short, the assumption that says that sugar makes stomach acid go up is a big mistake. The truth is that trigger food (which may contain sugar) can cause stomach acid to rise.Therefore, you must limit or avoid foods such as chocolate, sweets, fatty foods, and others.
