GERD or gastroesophageal reflux disease is a more severe form of acid reflux. This is where your heartburn becomes acute, and you regurgitate food more than twice a week. It also leads to symptoms like discomfort in the throat, dry cough, stomach ache, and chest burn. Unhealthy food is one of the most common triggers for this condition. Accordingly, here are some of the food items you should reduce or avoid.

GERD – Trigger Foods to Know About

1. Milk and dairy products
Even if you are not lactose intolerant, milk can cause mild to severe irritation of the gastrointestinal tract, especially if you have GERD. One other problem with dairy products is that some of them also leave you feeling bloated, leading to worsened symptoms. Whole milk, in particular, can cause a lot of discomfort. There are several dairy alternatives that you can use to make your smoothies or even to add to your oatmeal and other dishes.

2. Caffeine in coffee and other beverages
Coffee in all forms can be a major trigger for acid reflux. Stimulant-containing beverages like energy drinks and even teas contain caffeine. An occasional cup might not always cause discomfort but most people might notice the worsening of symptoms upon consuming too much caffeine.

3. Spicy and fried food items
Deep fried food items are major triggers of heartburn in general. People diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease might notice their symptoms getting more noticeable upon eating fried snacks. Spicy foods can have the same effect. This is because they take a lot of time to get digested as they contain capsaicin. Slower the digestion, more severe the acid reflux problem. Remember that the reactions to eating spicy foods vary from one person to another. So, observe your heartburn and decide what spice levels work for you.

4. Fizzy drinks
Several sodas are obvious triggers because of their caffeine content. But aside from that, their acidic nature is another reason to avoid them. Drinking sodas can lead to a burning sensation in your digestive tract and the sugars in them aggravate the effect. On the whole, fizzy drinks are best avoided if you suffer from heartburn and digestion problems often.

5. Citrus fruits
These are triggers for GERD because of their acidic nature. They increase the stomach acid and can you feel even more uncomfortable. Fruits to be avoided are lemons, pineapples, and tomatoes, among others. If you do add them to your meals, do not eat them on an empty stomach.

Besides avoiding these foods, try to plan your meals such that you eat smaller portions but more frequently. Large meals often make your heartburn worse. Taking such small steps will be useful in significantly reducing the intensity of GERD symptoms.