What foods stimulate stomach acid?

Eating food at the wrong time can cause stomach acid, which can make people feel very uncomfortable. At this time, you should not eat foods that irritate the stomach. But what are the foods that irritate stomach acid? There are many foods that can easily cause stomach acid, among which alcohol should be specially paid attention to. Both red wine and white wine can easily stimulate the stomach and produce stomach acid. In addition, chocolate, coffee, greasy food, etc. can also cause stomach acid.

1. What causes acid reflux?

When we eat, food moves from our mouth, down our esophagus, and into our stomach. Food goes down through the esophagus and when it is about to enter the stomach, it passes through a one-way "valve" between the esophagus and the stomach, which is the lower esophageal sphincter. Normally, when we swallow, this muscle relaxes and the valve opens. After food enters the stomach, the muscle valve contracts and closes again to prevent food from flowing back up.

When there are irregular meals, people feel hungry and full at different times, the valve operates improperly and malfunctions; or when certain diseases affect the regulation and function of the lower esophageal sphincter, the lower esophageal sphincter cannot function normally and acid reflux occurs, causing food and gastric acid in the stomach to flow back into the esophagus, or even into the mouth or throat. Over time, under the corrosive stimulation of gastric acid, the esophagus will become diseased.

2. Foods that can easily cause acid reflux:

1. Wine

Beer, wine, and other alcoholic beverages can cause acid reflux. Many alcoholic beverages are not very acidic. However, alcohol can relax the valve at the bottom of the esophagus (which connects to the stomach), which can cause acid reflux. Try to cut out alcohol, or limit your drinking to one cocktail or glass of wine a day, and be sure to completely avoid acidic drinks used in cocktails, such as orange juice and soda.

2. Caffeine

A cup of coffee or espresso each day is fine, but some people who drink coffee throughout the day are more likely to experience acid reflux — if they already have the condition. Try a different beverage, such as citrus tea, which is the best herbal tea, or a cup of green tea every day.

3. Soda water

Soda and other carbonated drinks are a major culprit for acid reflux. Carbonate bubbles expand in the stomach, increasing air pressure and causing acid reflux. Adding caffeine and other acidic substances to soda can cause even greater problems.

4. Chocolate

Bad news for chocolate lovers: Chocolate appears to be more likely to cause acid reflux than other foods. That's right, it's three times more likely than other foods. Chocolate contains caffeine and other stimulants, such as theobromine, which can cause acid reflux. Chocolate's high fat content can also cause reflux. Chocolate is also high in cocoa, which can also cause acid reflux. In theory, dark chocolate isn't as bad as high-fat white chocolate, but let's face it - all chocolate causes this problem.

5. Fried foods

Fried foods are the only food that is publicly recognized to cause acid reflux. This food is also commonly associated with heartburn. Heartburn is a type of chest pain caused by stomach acid flowing back up into the esophagus.

6. High-fat dairy products

All high-fat foods can trigger acid reflux. If you have severe acid reflux problems and are a cheese lover, you'll probably have to give it up. You can use a little cheese as a seasoning, but never as the main ingredient.

7. Fatty meat

Fatty meat can cause acid reflux, whether it is beef, pork or lamb, because the fat stays in the stomach for a long time, thus increasing the chance of acid reflux. Try to cut out the fat and eat lean meat as much as possible, so you can satisfy your cravings once a week.

3. The hazards of acid reflux:

There are usually no obvious symptoms at the beginning of acid reflux. As the refluxed gastric acid corrodes and irritates the esophagus more severely, it will cause reflux esophageal lesions, and symptoms of esophagitis such as recurrent belching, acid reflux, heartburn, abdominal distension, and burning pain in the chest will appear. In severe cases, esophageal ulcers and bleeding may occur, and even stenosis of the lower esophagus may occur, leading to difficulty in swallowing or cancer.

4. What to eat to relieve acid reflux? 4 kinds of food:

1. Water

Water is the source of life. Drinking water regularly can help us excrete metabolites, and water also has a certain effect on acid reflux. This is also the best natural way to treat acid reflux as it helps with better digestion and speeds up metabolism. Exercise can also speed up both of these things and reduce the discomfort caused by stomach acid.

2. Ginger

This plant has been shown to relieve symptoms of nausea. Its combined anti-inflammatory and anti-nausea properties can speed up the digestive process by adding another layer of stomach mucus, preventing stomach acid from moving to places it shouldn’t go.

3. Chamomile

It’s known for its ability to treat heartburn and acid reflux, calming the pain caused by both conditions. In addition to helping with better digestion, chamomile can also affect the amount of stomach acid produced, reducing the risk of acid reflux.

4. Chewing gum

Everyone knows that chewing gum can actually relieve acid reflux. Let’s take a look at what this is! Chewing gum after a meal can effectively prevent acid reflux. Studies have shown that chewing gum can reduce heartburn symptoms by increasing saliva production, and it is alkaline, which can help neutralize stomach acid. More saliva also means more swallowing, which can stimulate muscle contraction, so chewing gum more is more beneficial to digestion.