What is GERD?
GERD is a chronic condition that causes an unpleasant burning sensation in your chest, a sour taste in the mouth, and other symptoms. GERD is very common and can be managed or even stopped with some simple changes to your diet and lifestyle. If left untreated, however, GERD can sometimes progress into more serious conditions.
Foods to Avoid with GERD
Some foods can make acid reflux symptoms worse, so avoiding or limiting them can help reduce the frequency of flare-ups. Below, we list some of the most common GERD triggers and explain how they may cause symptoms.
It’s important to bear in mind, however, that not everyone experiences GERD in the same way, and different people are triggered by different foods. So, monitoring your symptoms and foods for a while may be helpful to work out your own acid reflux triggers.
Following a personalised GERD diet based on your unique triggers and sticking to overall healthy eating habits may be more effective at reducing GERD symptoms than elimination diets.
High-Fat Meals and Fried Foods
High-fat meals and fried foods can trigger GERD symptoms through various mechanisms.
Fatty foods relax the muscle that keeps your stomach closed (called the lower oesophageal sphincter, or LES for short), letting stomach contents travel back up (acid reflux), which irritates the lining of the oesophagus and leads to heartburn.
Fatty foods are also harder to digest, as they move slower through your intestines. To digest high-fat foods, your body needs to produce hormones and other substances which then can cause higher levels of irritation if they are refluxed into your food pipe.
Finally, a diet high in fat may lead to an increase in abdominal fat, which can put pressure on your belly, making reflux more likely.
So, avoiding fatty, oily, and fried foods can help prevent GERD symptoms. Examples of fatty foods to avoid include:
- Fatty cuts of processed meat, like bacon, sausages, and burgers
- Cheese, cream, and creamy salad dressings
- Pastries, cake and biscuits
- Butter, ice cream, chocolate, and chocolate spread
- Deep-fried foods or foods fried in butter or fat, like fried meats or triple-cooked chips
Instead of these foods, opt for healthier sources of fats, like olive oil, avocado, and nuts. Aim for a diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables, like the Mediterranean diet.
Certain Fruits and Vegetables
A balanced diet (like the Mediterranean diet mentioned above) consists of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds; it promotes health and well-being because it contains vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fibre, and many other important components for health.
However, for people with GERD, some of these fruits and vegetables can trigger symptoms. For example, highly acidic citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and grapefruits cause the stomach to produce more acid, irritating the lining of the oesophagus.
Tomatoes and tomato-based products may also worsen symptoms due to their acidic content. Tomatoes may also have other compounds that contribute to GERD.
Other foods that may cause heartburn and indigestion include onions and garlic, possibly because they irritate the stomach lining and are high in fructan — a sugar that’s harder to digest for some people.
Spicy Foods
Spicy foods can trigger GERD because they irritate the oesophagus lining and cause discomfort. Examples of spicy foods that may trigger GERD and other stomach problems include:
- chilli peppers
- wasabi
- red pepper
- black pepper
- hot sauces
- curries
- other spicy dishes
To avoid the negative effects of both spicy foods and mildly spicy vegetables like onions and garlic, try cooking with whole chives or use garlic-flavoured oil instead.
Caffeinated Drinks
For many people, caffeinated drinks like coffee, tea, and some fizzy drinks worsen symptoms. Caffeinated drinks may worsen acid reflux symptoms in two ways: by relaxing the LES and by boosting acid production in your stomach. Carbonated drinks also increase your stomach acid.
To prevent GERD flare-ups, avoid caffeinated and fizzy drinks. Your best bet is to avoid decaf drinks and drink water instead — this reduced symptoms in several studies.
Alcoholic Drinks
Much like caffeine and fizzy drinks, alcoholic drinks also loosen up your LES and increase acid production. Too much alcohol can also slow down digestion, causing bloating and other symptoms that overlap with those of GERD.
The common types of alcohol that people consume are beer, wine, and spirits. Not enough scientific information is known about which type of alcohol affects GERD more.
Because alcohol is, in general unhealthy, you should limit it or avoid it, whether you have GERD or not. If you do choose to drink, do so only in moderation, following the international guidelines of no more than 10 units a week for men and women.
Foods That Can Help Prevent Acid Reflux
Just like some foods trigger acid reflux, others can help ease it. Helpful foods for GERD are foods that reduce acid reflux symptoms and their frequency, protect your stomach lining and your food pipe, aid digestion, and reduce inflammation. Below are examples of such foods.
However, instead of focusing on just a handful of foods, remember that eating a well-rounded, balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight, and exercising regularly are all important for managing GERD.
High-Fibre Foods
Eating a diet rich in high-fibre foods may reduce GERD symptoms. This is because high-fibre foods improve digestion and relieve constipation, which can contribute to GERD. They also help move food along quickly in your intestines. When your stomach empties more quickly, its contents are less likely to reflux back into the oesophagus.
Examples of high-fibre foods for GERD include:
- Whole grains like oatmeal and brown rice
- Fruits like bananas and papayas
- Green leafy vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, kale, asparagus, and Brussels sprouts
- Low-fat sources of protein, like beans or tofu
- Nuts and seeds
Conclusion
Foods to avoid with GERD include fatty and oily foods, spicy foods, some acidic or spicy vegetables and fruit, alcohol and caffeinated drinks. By contrast, a balanced diet with plenty of high-fibre foods, fresh fruit and vegetables, and nuts and seeds can benefit people with acid reflux. Probiotic foods may also reduce symptoms.
However, bear in mind that not everyone is triggered by the same foods. Try keeping a food diary to work out which foods worsen your symptoms, and which ones improve them.
If you keep getting heartburn, speak to your pharmacist or healthcare professional.
