While heartburn is generally a very common experience and no cause for concern, it can be very frustrating, especially when it seems like anything and everything can trigger it. Run of the mill heartburn can typically be treated with over the counter medications or passes on its own. But if you have heartburn regularly and want to get rid of it, it’s important to look at your diet and figure out what you should be cutting back on, or even avoiding altogether—while we often focus on the foods we eat when treating heartburn, paying attention to the ingredients of the beverages you drink is just as important, as they can contribute to heartburn as well. We asked Carrie Bonfitto, NC BHN, a holistic nutritionist and founder of Two Hearts Nutrition, what beverage you may be drinking regularly that could be making your heartburn worse.
First of all, what are some internal causes of heartburn, and what are some things that may make you more prone to it? “Low stomach acid is one of the most common causes of heartburn. It seems like it would be high stomach acid that is causing heartburn, right? But if that were true we would see teenagers popping ant-acids instead of older adults. Stomach acid often reduces when we age which creates impaired digestion and bloating,” Bonfitto says, “This bloating can cause the flap that closes your esophagus to open, allow stomach acid to escape, and create burning. Even the tiniest drop causes huge amounts of discomfort.”
According to Bonfitto, one of the worst beverage to drink regularly for heartburn is anything carbonated. “Chronic consumption of seltzer water, soda, beer, or any fizzy drinks reduces stomach acid and can cause heartburn.” While you may be tempted to go for a soda as an afternoon pick me up, it could be eating at your stomach’s acid, which could make you more prone to heartburn as a result. Besides that, many carbonated drinks are often heavily processed—processed foods and beverages can slow the digestion process, which has also been shown to be a factor in heartburn.
If you like carbonated drinks and they have become a habit in your routine, there are swaps you can make that have a similar taste, and even work to reduce heartburn. “Lemon water or cucumber water are great swaps. Lemon water will help to fortify the acid in your stomach and promote digestion, while cucumber water is soothing and cooling to the lining of your throat.” Bonfitto also warns not to drink too much water with your meals. While you may think that drinking lots of water will have a cooling effect on the burning sensation in your chest, it could actually dilute your stomach acid even more and intensify your heartburn as a result.
Avoiding carbonated drinks is one thing that could help your heartburn, but what are some other lifestyle changes you can make if you are prone to regular heartburn? Bonfitto has a few recommendations, and most start with promoting healthy, steady digestion. “Making sure you are practicing habits that will help with proper digestion is a good start in reducing heartburn. Things like chewing food thoroughly before you swallow, sitting down at meals, being in a calm state while eating, and eating smaller portions goes a long way in decreasing bloating and preventing heartburn.”
