For people who love dining out, good food and good company will sound like a piece of heaven. Can people affected by GERD still enjoy good food and good company? Eating certain trigger foods in restaurants can trigger heartburn. There are tactics you can use to follow your diet for GERD even when you dine out and make your life GERD free.
- Choose your food wisely.
- Get to Know how your Food Is Prepared.
- Select your pregnancy with care.
- Limit your portion sizes and eat slowly.
Make smart choices to have a GERD free life and a heartburn-free dining experience.
Checklist To Follow When You Eat Out
- Inquire as to how different dishes are prepared.
- Opt for grilled instead of fried meat.
- Request for low-fat substitutes in dishes that typically include high-fat gravies and sauces.
- Check your list of triggers and then order.
Say a Big No-No And Lead a GERD Free Life
- Fried foods, such as burgers, fried chicken, fried fish.
- Sandwich Melts.
- Club sandwiches.
- Foods prepared with butter or oil.
- High-fat side dishes such as French fries, Chicken Nuggets etc.
- High-fat sauces, salad dressings, gravies etc.
- Creamy soups.
- Chili.
- Dishes with citrus fruit.
- Peppers and raw onions.
- Foods with extra cheese.
- Tomato-based foods.
- Citrus drinks such as orange juice and lemonade.
- Caffeinated beverages like coffee, tea, iced tea, and cola.
- Alcoholic beverages.
- Chocolate.
Safe Foods: Include in Your Diet For GERD
What puts you at risk for GERD?
Overeating, enzyme deficiency, constipation from a low residual diet, too many fast foods, fried foods and dairy foods (all acid-forming), prescription drug side effects, and severe osteoporosis can all lead to GERD.
Unhealthy Diet Habits = GERD.
Fruit
- Apple, fresh
- Apple, dried
- Apple juice
- Banana
Vegetables
- Baked potato
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Green beans
- Peas
Meat
- Ground beef, extra-lean
- Steak, London Broil
- Chicken breast, skinless
- Egg whites
- Egg substitute
- Fish, no added fat
Dairy
- Cheese, feta or goat
- Cream cheese, fat-free
- Sour cream, fat-free
- Soy cheese, low-fat
Grains
- Bread, multi-grain or white
- Cereal, bran or oatmeal
- Cornbread
- Graham crackers
- Pretzels
- Rice, brown or white
- Rice cakes
Fats / Oils
- Salad dressing, low-fat
Sweets / Desserts
- Cookie, fat-free
- Jelly beans
- Red licorice
- Potato chips, baked
The way you cut your meat reflect the way you live. ~ Confucius
Certain foods can aggravate your heartburn symptoms, and when planning your diet for GERD it’s best to limit or avoid completely Trigger Foods that result in acid reflux.
The foods listed in the Table above are the most common foods that are usually pretty safe for heartburn sufferers to include in their diet for Gerd.
Note: Remember that it’s not a complete list and the only list. Trigger foods vary from individual to individual. Journal your trigger foods- What, When and the Result. Be consistent or you may miss out on potentially harmful trigger foods to be excluded from your diet for Gerd.
Lifestyle and dietary modifications will definitely keep you going.
Featured Image: The Vanguard Clinic