Is it not just coffee and sweets that can prevent gastroesophageal reflux? Professor Wang Jinkun reveals: Be careful of the four foods that hide gastric acid mines

If you often experience heartburn, cough, and hoarseness, be careful that it may be gastroesophageal reflux disease. People often say "acid reflux" and "heartburn", which refer to the typical symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease. In recent years, the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease has been gradually increasing, reaching about 25%, which means that one in every four people suffers from gastroesophageal reflux disease. Obesity, overeating, pregnancy, hiatal hernia, etc. can easily induce gastroesophageal reflux disease. What should we do to avoid the recurrence of heartburn? In addition to drinking less coffee, what other foods should we avoid? Let professional nutrition expert Professor Wang Jinkun tell us!

Is gastroesophageal reflux caused by too much stomach acid?

Professor Wang Jinkun from the Department of Nutrition at Sun Yat-sen University of Medical Sciences said that the cause of gastroesophageal reflux disease is that the lower esophageal sphincter where the esophagus and stomach meet relaxes, causing incomplete closure of the cardia, which allows gastric acid in the stomach to reflux upward. When gastric acid refluxes into the esophagus, it will cause a series of uncomfortable symptoms such as stomach burning, pain, heartburn, coughing, hoarseness, etc.

Therefore, if you want to prevent the annoying heartburn symptoms from recurring, simply inhibiting the production of stomach acid will not be of much practical effect. Instead, we should avoid relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter and incomplete locking of the cardia from the root. As for what bad behaviors can lead to the above situation, Professor Wang Jinkun pointed out that they can be mainly divided into the following four factors:

If you want to prevent annoying heartburn symptoms from recurring, simply inhibiting stomach acid production is not very effective. Instead, we should avoid relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter and incomplete locking of the cardia from the root.

Four factors that induce gastroesophageal reflux

1. Body structure factors: Aging causes body organs to age and become loose. Or it may be related to obesity causing the stomach to expand and the sphincter to relax.

2. Posture problems: After eating, lying down directly without digesting the food will cause the stomach to rise due to bad posture, which may cause incomplete closure of the cardia.

3. Drug factors: Certain high blood pressure and asthma drugs can also cause relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter.

4. Food factors: Certain foods can also induce involuntary expansion and relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter, muscles, and bronchi, making it more difficult to close the cardia.

How to prevent gastroesophageal reflux

Therefore, based on the above reasons, if you want to prevent gastroesophageal reflux, you must first eliminate the above possible causes. Among them, avoiding foods that can cause relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter is the key to daily self-care. But which foods should we pay special attention to and avoid?

Professor Wang Jinkun pointed out that drinking coffee is popular among modern people. Whether it is to refresh oneself at work or in a meeting, or to chat with a few good friends, it is present and has become a national drink. But it is worth noting that the caffeine contained in coffee acts as a "natural relaxant". Excessive intake can easily relax the lower esophageal sphincter and cause the cardia to open, thus inducing heartburn.

The caffeine contained in coffee acts as a "natural relaxant". Excessive intake can easily relax the lower esophageal sphincter and cause the cardia to open, thus inducing heartburn.

In addition, many friends also like to taste and drink tea. However, tea drinks also contain caffeine, so it is not recommended for people who suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease to drink them frequently. Especially when you are on an empty stomach or have no food in your stomach, drinks will directly irritate the stomach and muscle tissue due to the lack of food dilution, so they should be avoided.

In addition to reducing caffeine intake, foods such as chocolate and mint should also be consumed in moderation! This is because theobromine in chocolate, which is common in our daily diet, and menthol and theobromine-like components in mint can also cause relaxation of the bronchial and lower esophageal sphincters. This is why veterinarians often urge the public not to let pets such as cats and dogs accidentally ingest the above ingredients, so as to avoid excessive dilation of the pets' trachea and neurological and gastrointestinal inflammatory reactions.

Patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease should pay attention to their diet

As for what is often mentioned in advertising lines, will eating sweets cause gastroesophageal reflux? Professor Wang Jinkun explained that sweets do not actually directly stimulate the lower esophageal sphincter, causing it to relax and causing gastroesophageal reflux. However, these foods, which are rich in refined sugar and fried, are often time-consuming and laborious to digest and absorb.

In order to effectively digest them, the human body often secretes a large amount of gastric acid. Therefore, if the gastric cardia is not closed tightly, it is easier for the gastric acid to reflux and cause a lot of discomfort. In addition, studies have found that eating a large amount of sour-tasting tomatoes, pineapples, and citrus fruits such as lemons and oranges in a short period of time will also increase the secretion of gastric acid. Therefore, friends with a history of gastroesophageal reflux disease should also pay more attention.

Studies have found that eating a large amount of sour-tasting tomatoes, pineapples, and citrus fruits such as lemons and oranges in a short period of time can also increase the secretion of gastric acid. Therefore, friends with a history of gastroesophageal reflux disease should also pay more attention.

To prevent gastroesophageal reflux, beware of these four food landmines

1. Coffee: Coffee is rich in caffeine, which acts as a "natural relaxant". Excessive intake can easily relax the lower esophageal sphincter and cause the cardia to open, thus inducing heartburn.

2. Tea: Tea drinks also contain caffeine. People with gastroesophageal reflux disease are not recommended to drink them frequently. Especially avoid it when you are on an empty stomach, with no food in your stomach.

3. Sweets: Chocolate contains theobromine, as well as menthol and theobromine-like components in mint, which can cause relaxation of the bronchial and lower esophageal sphincters.

4. Fruit: Studies have found that eating a large amount of sour-tasting tomatoes, pineapples, lemons, oranges and other citrus fruits in a short period of time can also increase the secretion of gastric acid.

【Expert Tips】:

Finally, Professor Wang Jinkun once again reminded that in order to prevent the recurrence of gastroesophageal reflux disease, people should not only work hard to adjust their daily eating habits. It is important to check if you have any medication or body structure problems, and to quit smoking and drinking. Because cigarettes and alcohol will also stimulate the relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter, causing relaxation and inability to close the cardia, so you need to pay more attention.