Acid Reflux Foods to Avoid

People of all ages suffer from acid reflux disease. This is a serious but common condition that is caused when the acid made in your stomach to digest food is forced up into the esophagus. The symptom of acid reflux that is most common is heartburn, the sensation that your chest is burning. Heartburn can be quite painful and can sometimes be felt in the areas of the neck and throat as well. Many emergency room visits are attributed to heartburn because it can become so painful that people think they are having a heart attack.

Acid reflux heartburn can be brought on by some foods and these should be avoided. Not every acid reflux food to avoid will cause heartburn in every person, however, but until you determine which foods cause your heartburn, you should probably keep these in mind when you plan your meals.

The most common acid reflux foods to avoid are spicy foods. Spicy foods seem to cause the most pain for someone with chronic acid reflux. This could be because the lining of the esophagus can break down and ulcers can form as a result of the acid. Avoid foods that use hot peppers or chili peppers, such as Chinese and Mexican foods. Hot chicken wings or buffalo chicken can contribute to painful heartburn as well.

Fatty and fried foods are also common acid reflux foods to avoid. Fatty meats such as marbled and ground beef can cause heartburn. The fatty parts of chicken include the dark meat and wings. Fried foods like fries and onion rings should be avoided as well. Onions should really be stayed away from in all forms.

Citrus and acidic fruits are more acid reflux food to avoid. Tomatoes and tomato products like salsa and spaghetti sauce should be avoided because of the high acid content in tomatoes. Citrus fruits like grapefruits and oranges, as well as their juices, can cause symptoms of acid reflux, too.

Some people complain of heartburn from some dairy foods. Acid reflux foods to avoid in the dairy category whole milk and milk shakes, fatty cheeses and whole cottage cheese, sour cream and ice cream.

Some snacks can cause symptoms of acid reflux disease. These acid reflux foods to avoid include chips, chocolate, buttery cookies and brownies, peppermint and spearmint. There are a few beverages to steer clear of as well. These are caffeinated and alcoholic beverages.

These common acid reflux foods to avoid are not going to cause heartburn in every person. Some people will have problems with some of these foods and others will get heartburn with different foods. Keeping a diary of when you get heartburn and the foods you had just prior to the symptoms is the best way to personalize your list of acid reflux food to avoid. Before long you will be able to figure out which foods to stay away from. There is no cure for acid reflux disease, but the symptoms can be controlled with a proper diet.