Acid Reflux-Friendly Food Swaps
Acid reflux, also known as heartburn, is a pesky symptom at best. If you constantly struggle with untreated heartburn, though, there can actually be permanent damage done to your esophagus. So it makes sense, then, that we should do something about it – if only for your sanity!
In today’s blog, we’re going to chat about reflux-friendly swaps to help you avoid heartburn triggers. Keep in mind that neither avoidance nor OTC medications solve the root problem. We’ll cover that later on. Let’s get started.
First, A Note on Trigger Foods:
We’ve talked about trigger foods many times on our blog because it’s such a critical topic. We wanted to remind our readers here that trigger foods do not necessarily cause reflux. They aggravate the condition and cause your symptoms to appear. Otherwise, GERD can still be silent and still cause damage.
Food Swaps for & Foods to Avoid With Acid Reflux
Now, let’s give you some hard-and-fast swaps that you can make to help you avoid triggers altogether:
Whole Milk ➜ Almond Milk: Whole milk can be a trigger due to its fat content, though not all patients will struggle with this one. Almond milk is a lighter, more reflux-friendly alternative.
Tomato Sauce ➜ Pesto: We recommend avoiding all tomato products, if possible. If you really want a delicious pasta, pesto or non-dairy cream sauces are great options!
Fried Foods ➜ Baked Foods: Baking or grilling your foods in limited oils is both healthier and less likely to trigger your reflux.
Coffee ➜ Herbal Tea: Since coffee can irritate the esophagus and loosen the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), we suggest swaps like herbal teas like ginger or chamomile as soothing alternatives.
Citrus Fruits ➜ Melons: Citrus fruits are very high in acidity; we recommend berries and melons if you still want to enjoy fruit without aggravating your symptoms.
Chocolate ➜ Carob: Chocolate can relax the LES, too, unfortunately; try carob as a reflux-friendly substitute.
Dietary Changes Not Enough?
No matter how well you stick to avoiding triggers, your eating habits won’t heal the LES. If you aren’t ready for a long-term fix just yet, add these tips to your dietary changes for the best GERD management:
Eat smaller, more frequent meals
Avoid eating before bed
Sleep slightly upright
Wear looser clothing
Consider losing weight
Stop smoking
I Don’t Want to Have to Swap Foods or Constantly Be Thinking About Triggers. Is There Anything I Can Do?
If you’re really struggling, nothing’s helping, or you just don’t want to live your life constantly worrying about reflux, it’s time to seek out a professional.
Life’s too short to not enjoy your meals; it’s too short to constantly be worrying about whether or not you’ll be able to sleep at night because of what you had for dinner. You should be able to go out with friends and enjoy a few drinks without picking and choosing your battles. We want that for you.
Luckily, surgery is a very real solution for people with GERD. Here at the Tampa Bay Reflux Center, we offer two surgical procedures (LINX and Lap Nissen) that will banish your reflux for good.
What are you waiting for?