Saturday, June 22, 2013

Foods to Eat to Prevent GERD

I personally eat these foods, they generally do not aggravate my GERD.

Oatmeal
Drop that doughnut, unless you want heartburn for breakfast. If you have GERD, high-fat food is usually a recipe for pain. Instead choose oatmeal. It's a low-fat, high-fiber meal that can soothe your stomach. Top it off with sliced bananas, which are thought to fight stomach acid naturally.

Ginger
Fresh ginger acts as an anti-inflammatory and is an age-old remedy for stomach problems of all kinds. You can get your daily dose—2 to 4 grams (more than that can actually cause heartburn)—by steeping ginger in hot water to make tea, chewing a piece of ginger, or using ginger generously when you cook.

Pasta (hold the red sauce)
Tomatoes and heavy sauces are a no-no for people with GERD—which rules out a lot of classic Italian dishes (unfortunately). For those with a craving for pasta, the National Heartburn Alliance recommends thin, broth-like sauces. And using a whole-wheat pasta will boost your fiber intake.

I personally like to make a garlic sauce.  Make sure you use locally grown garlic to make sure the import process has not killed off the health benefits of your garlic.

Beans
Certain fatty meats, such as ground beef, are thought to trigger heartburn. Beans are an excellent source of protein and fiber and a great alternative to meat. If you have GERD, they should be a regular feature in your diet.

Almonds
Raw almonds are wonderful if you're looking for a mid-day snack.  It's loaded with protein and vitamins, and you can be quite satisfied by just eating a handful.

I found a chart that's pretty handy, to which I both added and put some notes for you.  I definitely don't subscribe to eating all these foods, particularly the cookies.  But take a look:

Safe Foods for the Acid Reflux Diet

Food Group Foods With Little Potential to Cause Heartburn
Fruit
• Apple, fresh
• Apple, dried
• Apple juice
• Banana
• Melons
• Strawberries

Try to limit high calorie fruits. 
Vegetables
• Baked potato
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Green beans
• Peas
• Romaine or iceberg lettuce
• Eggplant
• Celery
• Sweet bell peppers
• Lentils
• Watercress

Some websites warn against eating vegetables rich in starch, such as potato, sweet potato, carrots, brussel sprouts, tomatos and turnips.
Meat
• Ground beef, extra-lean
• Steak, London Broil
• Chicken breast, skinless
• Turkey meat
• Egg whites
• Egg substitute
• Fish, no added fat
• Shrimp, crab meat

I've read that pork may not be good for GERD.
Dairy
• Cheese, feta or goat
• Cream cheese, fat-free
• Sour cream, fat-free
• Soy cheese, low-fat

Just make sure you're not lactose intolerant or that lactose in
some way may be the cause of your GERD.  Cut all lactose out
then introduce it again to see if this may be the cause.
Grains
• Bread, mult-grain or white
• Cereal, bran or oatmeal
• Corn bread
• Graham crakers
• Pretzels
• Rice, brown or white
• Rice cakes

Just keep in mind that your GERD may be cause because of some
Gluten intolerance, so try to cut glutens out then introduce them
to see how you feel.
Beverages
• Mineral water
• Alkaline water

I've read some articles on the benefits of alkaline water, so this may be worth a try.
Fats / Oils
• Salad dressing, low-fat
• Olive oil
• Coconut oil

Try to limit the use of oils as much as possible because, as you probably know, grease can aggravate GERD.
Sweets / Desserts
• Cookie, fat-free
• Jelly beans
• Red licorice
• Potato chips, baked

I've been staying far away from all kinds of deserts period, but you can give these a try and note how you feel.

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