OH MY GERD
Nobody likes Acid Reflux, and in the case of GERD what goes down must come up. You can thank your lower esophageal sphincter for that. However, it's up to you to take action and we are here to help you be aware of certain foods to avoid so that you don't feel the burn.
So lets begin:
Remember the purpose of avoiding these foods is because they increase your gastric acid levels which then in turn make you become more susceptible to acid reflux.
Red Wine
Drinking alcohol irritates and opens your lower esophageal sphincter. When this is open, more food and stomach acid is likely to flow back up causing you to experience these symptoms.
Coffee
Some research shows that too much caffeine will cause your lower esophageal muscles to relax allowing acid to come back up. However, studies are still inconclusive as to whether or not coffee causes reflux. If you do experience reflux when you drink coffee then you should try to avoid it.
Spicy food
Spicy food usually contains capsaicin, which may slow the rate of digestion. This means food will sit in the stomach longer, which is a risk factor for heartburn.
Orange juice
The high acidity of citrus fruits relaxes the esophageal sphincter and worsens symptoms.
Chocolate
Cocoa can cause a surge of serotonin. The serotonin will then relax your esophageal sphincter allowing gastric contents back up. Chocolate also contains caffeine and theobromine which are also acid reflux triggers.
Tomatoes
Just like oranges, tomatoes are highly acidic. You should be a pro by now and know that too much acid in your stomach isn't good for you.