Have you ever heard of GERD? Standing for gastrointestinal reflux disease, It’s an extremely challenging condition to have, as you’ll have to work hard to maintain your body and keep things from getting worse. Most people understandably associate it with acid reflux, but that’s a less severe version known as gastrointestinal reflux, or GER.
Those with acid reflux have likely already experienced the extremely discomforting effects of heartburn, where a full stomach causes the stomach acid to move upwards. Not only do you get the burning sensation, but there could also be issues with vomiting and regurgitation if you aren’t careful with what you eat.
This begs the question — what exactly are you supposed to avoid as a sufferer of acid reflux (commonly a symptom of GER and GERD)? It’s undoubtedly a challenge, but I’ve compiled a list below of all the foods that you might want to avoid if you have acid reflux. All of the foods below are known triggers of these conditions, and avoiding them in general is a good idea.
Oranges
Oranges are typically healthy foods and should be a part of the regular diet, but in the case of acid reflux, it could potentially be a superfood you have to avoid. The reason is that oranges have an abundance of citric acid, which relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). Such a thing can cause the stomach acid build up to reach past the LES, which triggers the effects of heartburn. Considering the many health benefits of oranges, the fact that those suffering from acid reflux should generally avoid oranges is unfortunate.
Oranges are also part of FODMAP. This stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols. While it’s considered a low FODMAP fruit, eating excessive amounts of oranges (about 5 a day) can lead to potential health issues, including bloating and diarrhea. Oranges make for a healthy part of a balanced diet, but overeating this fruit can also lead to an excess of fiber.
Overall, oranges are one of the healthiest parts of this list, which means it might still be worth trying even if you suffer from symptoms of GER. It’s only when the likelihood of heartburn is too high that you should consider avoiding this fruit.
