First of all, what exactly is acid reflux and what causes it? “Acid reflux occurs when the acid present in your stomach makes its way up into the esophagus (the tube which connects your mouth to the stomach),” Dr. Deshko says, “At the base of the esophagus there is a valve called the lower esophageal sphincter. Normally, this sphincter closes as soon as food passes through it. However, if the sphincter doesn't close all the way or if it opens too often, acid produced by the stomach may irritate the esophagus and produce a burning sensation, which is also known as heartburn.”
While your diet can cause acid reflux or make it worse, there can be other conditions working together to cause it as well. Some of the most common ones are hiatal hernias, pregnancy, smoking, and lying down after meals. The latter is one of the more common ones. “Gravity can cause the stomach acid that is produced in response to meals to leak back into the esophagus.” Dr. Deshko explains.
When it comes to what foods you should avoid cooking with, Dr. Deshko says the worst is anything with high fat. “High fat foods can often trigger gastric reflux. Fat delays the rate at which stomach contents empty into the small intestine. Therefore, since the food is present in the stomach longer, this increases the chances of acid moving up into the esophagus. High fat foods include foods fried in oil, butter, ghee, cheese, and high fat cuts of meat.” Dr. Deshko also shared some other high-fat foods to watch out for.
Alcohol: Similar to nicotine, alcohol may play a role in the reduction of esophageal sphincter tone, this may trigger an acid reflux episode in some people.
Coffee: Coffee can trigger acid reflux in some people; however it may be well tolerated by others. Although there is no clear scientific evidence linking coffee to acid reflux, a trial elimination may be of benefit.
Spicy food: For some people hot or spicy foods can trigger or exacerbate acid reflux. While the evidence for spices such as hot peppers triggering reflux is still lacking, a recent 2017 Korean study found that spicy food was a common trigger of acid reflux in study participants.
Other things Dr. Deshko suggests include quitting smoking if you’re a smoker and avoiding eating too close to bedtime, as smoking and laying down right after meals are two very common causes of acid reflux. Besides cutting back on the acidic foods and beverages mentioned, you may have dietary triggers that uniquely affect you. Before you make any major changes to your diet, be sure to consult with your doctor about whether it’s the right choice for you.