A set of guidelines called the acid reflux diet is meant to assist those who suffer from heartburn, GERD, or acid reflux.
What is the Acid Reflux Diet?
Instead of being a conventional diet, the acid reflux diet aims to treat the symptoms of heartburn, acid reflux, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Reflux of acid is the result of stomach acid flowing back up into the esophagus, according to registered dietitian Beth Czerwony of the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Human Nutrition. 20% of Americans, according to some estimates, may have GERD, a chronic form of acid reflux that can lead to tooth decay, esophageal constriction, asthma, laryngitis, and a persistent cough. According to some experts, men are more likely than women to have acid reflux and GERD is a genetic condition.
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The diaphragm and lower esophageal sphincter are linked to acid reflux and heartburn. Many people have occasional acid reflux rather than chronic acid reflux. Your lower esophageal sphincter may weaken or relax when it shouldn’t, which can lead to GERD. Although food isn’t the direct cause of acid reflux, altering your diet can help with the condition’s symptoms. An acid reflux diet will generally keep you away from chocolate, coffee, soda, citrus fruits, fried or fatty meals, and alcohol. Try softer foods instead, such as alkaline foods like bananas and almonds, whole grains, lean meat, root vegetables, and greens.
How does the Acid Reflux Diet work?
- Follow this set of recommendations if you’re experiencing acid reflux, heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux.
- The foods that you’ll eat on the acid reflux diet may help reduce uncomfortable symptoms of heartburn or GERD.
- You’ll avoid certain foods that are more likely to cause acid reflux symptoms, as well as any others that cause your symptoms.
The acid reflux diet is based on the idea of trying to reduce symptoms by eliminating foods that are contributing to acid reflux. At the same time, some eating behaviors, like meal timing, meal size and even how you’re sitting, can contribute to acid reflux. While an acid reflux diet may help reduce symptoms, it’s not the only thing to consider to reduce your heartburn.
Even though food itself doesn’t cause acid reflux, research shows that consuming large meals can increase the chances of experiencing heartburn, says Amy Kimberlain, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator based in Miami and a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Because large meals take longer to digest, that contributes to this increased possibility (of GERD),” she says.
Can I lose weight on the Acid Reflux Diet?
There is no weight-loss goal with the acid reflux diet. Although studies have linked obesity to acid reflux, the goal of the acid reflux diet is not to treat weight loss; rather, it is to control symptoms. Making better meal choices could aid in weight loss if you adhere to some of the acid reflux diet’s guidelines. For instance, if you’re currently eating fried foods and high-fat meats, cutting back on those items may help you lose weight.
Short-Term Weight Loss
Eliminating consumption of fried foods and high-fat meats may help you lose weight, since those are high-calorie food sources.
It has been demonstrated that eating fried food one or more times a week increases the likelihood of being overweight or obese, particularly if you have a genetic predisposition (1). You might be able to reduce weight by cutting out fried items from your diet.
Long-Term Weight Loss
You may have weight reduction effects if you regularly cut out any of the foods that cause acid reflux from your diet, particularly if you were consuming high-calorie alcohol, fried foods, fatty meats, or carbonated soda.
- It has been demonstrated that people with diabetes, obesity, or overweight are less likely to lose weight when they drink alcohol. This suggests that cutting out alcohol while following an acid reflux diet may finally enable you to shed those extra pounds (2).
- Regardless of how much you exercise, studies have connected the consumption of carbonated soda or soft drinks to weight gain. The acid reflux diet may help you avoid gaining more weight from soda by removing carbonated drinks from your diet (3).
Weight Maintenance and Management
No research has found a direct link between the acid reflux diet and weight reduction, maintenance, or control. But some of the same foods that can aggravate acid reflux are also known to contribute to weight gain since they are heavy in calories and fat. You may experience the same benefits from managing your weight if you choose foods that are beneficial for acid reflux as you would from a slightly healthier diet.
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Disclaimer: The opinions and suggestions expressed in this article are solely those of the individual analysts. These are not the opinions of HNN. For more, please consult with your doctor
