Some healthiest foods can trigger painful heartburn in people suffering from indigestion. Plenty of otherwise healthy foods can throw a wrench in your day with some seriously uncomfortable side effects, even though we know that eating fatty, fried foods can lead to awkward indigestion. It includes citrus fruit, a typical breakfast ingredient.
Those who suffer from frequent indigestion should steer clear of citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruits to avoid heartburn. Kelsey Mauro, functional medicine gut health consultant, and Anastasia Gialouris, MS, RD, CDN, and CPT, discussed the cause of this problem. Here are some tasty alternatives they suggest!
Image Credit: Pexels/Angele J & Pexels/cottonbro studio
Citrus Fruits, Such As Oranges
The health benefits of oranges and other citrus fruits are numerous; they contain immune-boosting vitamin C, help fight inflammation, and even prevent diabetes and cancer. Although this tasty fruit has many benefits, be cautious when eating it at breakfast if you frequently suffer from indigestion or heartburn.
Gialouris suggests avoiding citrus, a typical trigger food for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Food typically flows from the esophagus into the stomach via the LES, which then closes to prevent food from being pushed back into the esophagus.
She explains that GERD does not follow this pattern and that several foods [such as citrus]exacerbate it. Acidity in these fruits relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter, refluxing stomach acid into the esophagus, which causes heartburn.
Mauro echoes Gialouris’ warning: “Oranges can cause indigestion when eaten alone or added to smoothies,” she says, referencing the acidity of this fruit as the culprit. Citrus fruits like oranges are highly acidic and cause your stomach to produce too much acid, causing indigestion.”
Image Credit: Pexels/Jane Trang Doan
What Are The Alternatives To Citrus?
The importance of fruit in a healthy diet cannot be overstated, especially as part of breakfast. Several low-acid fruits can keep indigestion at bay if you avoid citrus. For people with GERD, Gialoruis suggests eating non-citrus fruits rather than citrus fruits, as they have less acidity. Some examples are bananas, berries, apples, pears, grapes, and peaches. Mauro recommends blueberries and kiwis as they are alkaline fruits, which can help remove the acid.