What is Acid Reflux?

 

Acid reflux is a condition that is characterized by a burning sensation in the chest, bloating in the stomach area, and a bitter taste coming up in the throat. Getting acid reflux or heartburn once in a while is common for everyone, however, some people end up getting this nauseated feeling and burning sensation after every meal and that raises a concern. 

 

The feeling of nausea and heartburn at night gets even more uncomfortable as you’re tired and just want to go to bed. Anyone suffering from heartburn and acid reflux can face sleepless nights which makes them even more prone to acquire further diseases like high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease, stroke, depression, and more. 

 

There are certain foods that make your heartburn and gas much worse and these should be completely avoided. However, certain foods that cause heartburn at night may be safe to consume during the day. The key is to find your own trigger and assess what to eat in acidity. Here are certain food items that should be completely avoided for dinner as they trigger heartburn and gas at night:

 

Foods to Avoid for Dinner to Stay Away from Heartburn at Night  

 

• Deep Fried Food

Fried foods tend to get smeared with extra unhealthy fats since they were cooked using the deep-frying technique. The additional, bad fats from such food items make it increasingly difficult for the stomach to digest and process them. Hence, the food content is left inside the stomach for a long time in an undigested manner. 

 

The leftover food inside the stomach causes the acid to come up into the oesophagus even long after finishing dinner. Typically, the feeling of heartburn stays till the food stays in your stomach and isn’t emptied completely. Eating deep-fried foods for dinner is certainly not a good idea. The best way to consume them is in moderation and during the daytime so you don’t have to face an uncomfortable feeling of gas at night.

• Tomatoes & Citrus Fruits

Fruits and vegetables form an important part of our diet and we should consume them to stay healthy. However, if you’ve been diagnosed with GERD and figuring out what to eat in acidity, you should know that certain fruits are highly acidic in nature and can cause gas and heartburn at night. If you get heartburn and gas at night, you should reduce or completely stop the consumption of the food items below:

1. Orange
2. Lemon
3. Tomato
4. Grapefruit
5. Lime
6. Salsa
7. Pineapple
8. Tomato sauce
   

 

• Garlic, Onions & Spicy Foods

Spicy and tangy food items like garlic are believed to trigger heartburn at night in most people. Spicy foods that are loaded with extra chilli or with flakes on top like pizza causes acid reflux or heartburn at night. However, these food items don’t make everyone uncomfortable, but if you’re prone to having gas at night, you should stop consuming garlic, onions, and spicy food at night.

• Rajma

Rajma, one of the most loved lentils in India, is replete with many benefits like iron, copper, folate, magnesium, calcium and vitamin C along with fibre. Despite having so many nutritional benefits, consuming rajma at night can trigger gas and heartburn in people. The fibre content in rajma makes it difficult for people to digest them properly at night and makes them gassy. 

• Broccoli

Broccoli has been touted as one of the healthiest superfoods out there for adults and babies. Though broccoli is a nutrient-dense vegetable, its high fibre content makes it unsuitable for consumption at night. Avoid eating broccoli for dinner as it tends to make people gassy and can cause heartburn in some.

• Chocolate & Desserts

We all want to gorge on something sweet after having our meals. Most people resort to eating chocolate as they consider it the perfect after-meal dessert. Whether dark or milk, chocolate is one of those foods that cause heartburn as they are dense in caffeine, cocoa, and plant chemicals that are certain triggers for heartburn. 

• Acidic Foods & Carbonated Drinks

Acidic foods are one of the main culprits behind causing gas and heartburn at night. Foods like citrus fruits and juices, tomato products, salad vinaigrette dressings, and salsa have a high acidic content which triggers the already acidic situation.

Similarly, caffeinated drinks, alcohol, and carbonated beverages cause acid to come up to your oesophagus. The bubbles in the carbonated beverages may seem to relieve you of the acidity for a few moments but they actually cause your stomach to expand and push its contents up. Soda, coffee, tea, alcohol, fruit juices, and other carbonated beverages are foods that cause heartburn at night and should be avoided at dinner.

If gas and heartburn at night are affecting your quality of life or you’re experiencing it more than twice a week, it’s the best time to see a gastroenterologist near you. Based on your presenting symptoms and medical history, your doctor may advise you to identify your food triggers or put you on the required medication to ease the condition