Some people suffer from heartburn once in a while, after a heavy meal. And according to Vidal, in this specific case, there is nothing to worry about. But for others, it’s much more regular than that: “Over the age of 50, almost half of the population suffers from it. Ten percent of adults describe heartburn at least once a week and 2 to 5% once a day.” In this case, a medical consultation is indicated, and you will surely need to adapt what you eat and drink, because heartburn is one of those ailments activated by what we consume. How can you tell the difference between what you can drink without triggering them, and what is best avoided? Nutritionist Nathalie Negro, head of the nutritional center at the Thermes de Brides-les-Bains, answers us.
Drinks to avoid when you have heartburn
First, the nutritionist specifies that consumed in moderation, no drink can cause heartburn. However, in excess, tea, coffee or even alcohol can cause them. In people who suffer chronically from heartburn, certain drinks should be avoided, because even in small doses, heartburn can result.
When we have acid reflux, this is explained by the fact that the stomach is too loaded with hydrochloric acid and that its PH is too low. This excess acid weakens the upper esophageal sphincter. “This is often where the pain felt comes from, when the acid irritates the esophagus,” explains the nutritionist. Certain things contained in our drinks tend to promote the stimulation of this hydrochloric acid, and therefore to maintain heartburn.
Among these molecules, there are alcohol, fat, caffeine and theine. “But it should still be noted that this is not the case all the time, that it depends on our state of stress, fatigue, other environmental factors come into play,” adds Nathalie Negro. She emphasizes that the more concentrated in alcohol a drink is, the more it will have this effect. But some can surprise us, like beer: “it is low in alcohol but it is also gassy, which tends to irritate the esophagus”.
The carbonated aspect of all drinks causes this effect. And some combine this factor with others, like Coca Cola, which is not recommended if you suffer from heartburn, for its caffeine content and its bubbles. In general, she advises avoiding sugary drinks.
Drinks that calm soreness
In addition to coffee and alcohol, tea can cause heartburn in a person who has this sensitivity. “But it depends on its theine/caffeine content. The one that does the least harm is white tea, because it is made from young shoots. If you want to drink tea, you can infuse it once for 1 minute and discard this water, before reinfusing the bag in new water. This eliminates a lot of the theine.”
Otherwise, she advises opting for detheinated tea, rooibos, or even herbal teas. You can also prefer chicory (or other cereal coffee) to classic coffee. As they do not contain caffeine, they are not harmful to the stomach.
In the list of drinks recommended if you suffer from heartburn, there is of course water, but it must not be too cold because it requires more work for the organ. “Can also drink milkthis is what we recommend to people who have a gastritis acute. But one drink, not too much either because it’s a fatty drink.” Another possibility, drink water with a few drops of lemon, which stimulates digestion. If this citrus fruit is acidic to the taste, it has an alkalizing role (it regulates the acid-base balance).