Can you eat feta cheese with acid reflux
In this brief guide, we will address the query, “can you eat feta cheese with acid reflux?” We will also discuss what causes acid reflux and how you can take care of this condition to lighten the unwanted symptoms.
Can you eat feta cheese with acid reflux?
No, it is better for your gut health – and general wellbeing – that you stay away from feta cheese if you tend to suffer chronic acid reflux (GERD). As feta cheese is an acidic food (with a pH of 4.4-4.6), it will not help with GERD symptoms.
In the next paragraphs, we will discuss related queries, to provide you with a wider panorama about pairing feta cheese when suffering from acid reflux.
What is chronic acid reflux (GERD)?
People with GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease, also known as chronic acid reflux) suffer from the acid-containing contents in their stomach constantly leaking back up into their esophagus.
According to the American Gastroenterological Association, about one-third of the entire population has GERD. Can you imagine how many billions of people suffer from this condition?
Why is the reason acid reflux occurs?
Acid reflux is a very common condition that affects almost everyone at some point in life, even more now that the stress rates are always increasing, it is very normal to hear everyone complaining due to acid reflux and heartburn.
Acid reflux becomes a problem when you experience its symptoms more than twice a week, when your symptoms keep returning, then you may have developed GERD.
What happens in our bodies when acid reflux occurs?
The reason acid reflux takes place is that the lower esophageal sphincter, located at the end of your esophagus, is not properly closed the moment food arrives at your stomach, this then will produce that acid backwash that returns through your esophagus into your throat and mouth.
Has this reminded you of that horrific sour taste and burning sensation?
What are acid reflux symptoms?
People who suffer from GERD experience some common symptoms, such as:
- Chest pain
- Difficulty swallowing
- A burning sensation in your chest – that worse at night – after eating, also known as heartburn
- Regurgitation of food or sour liquid
- Chronic cough
- Asthma
GERD symptoms do not have to be underestimated as they can develop into more serious problems, visit a specialist to treat your GERD.
How common is chronic acid reflux?
GERD prevalence may be hard to calculate, as only some patients experience the common GERD symptoms, but some of them may never exhibit any symptoms at all.
However, recent research approximates GERD prevalence to almost one-third of the population, according to Gut journal, these are the range of GERD prevalence in the whole globe.
| Population | GERD prevalence |
| North America | 18 to 28% |
| Europe | 9 to 26% |
| East Asia | 3 to 8% |
| Middle East | 9 to 33% |
| Australia | 12% |
| South America | 23% |
As you can tell, GERD prevalence may be higher in regions where their population may exhibit some of the following potential risks:
- Being overweight or obese
- Eating spicy food
- Smoking or constantly exposed to smoke
- Taking medications that cause acid reflux
Also, it has been reported that being older than 40 also is a potential risk. If you want to read more about these findings, please click here.
What can you eat if you suffer from GERD?
Diet can be a factor that either triggers or helps GERD symptoms. Some advice you need to follow is that eating late at night may be a bad idea, as you lay down at night these foods can come up your esophagus, also small frequent meals are better than heavier meals.
Some foods you can eat to prevent acid reflux from happening are:
- High-fiber foods. These types of food will help you feel full, and also will improve your digestion, these can be:
- Oatmeal
- Brown rice
- Couscous
- Sweet potatoes
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Asparagus
- Alkaline foods. If the food you eat has a low pH, is more likely to trigger GERD symptoms, therefore alkaline foods are highly recommended, such as:
- Bananas
- Nuts
- Melons
What foods should you avoid when you have GERD?
As discussed above, food has a big impact on GERD, so to avoid the unwanted symptoms, you should stop consuming a lot of the following groups:
- Fried foods.
- Spicy foods.
- Chocolate.
- Acidic foods, like dairy, where feta cheese is included.
- Garlic.
- Tomato sauce.
- Alcohol.
- Citrus fruits.
It is a good idea to keep a record of all foods that trigger GERD symptoms, remember we all are different and what causes someone these symptoms may not be the same for you. Also, talk to your doctor to meet the ideal meal plan for you.
Other FAQs about Feta Cheese that you may be interested in.
Can you eat feta cheese with IBS
Can you eat feta cheese with mold
Can you eat feta cheese without cooking?
Conclusion
In this brief guide, we have addressed the query, “can you eat feta cheese with acid reflux?” We have also discussed other queries related to the subject at hand.
Hope you found this blog useful. If you have any questions, please let us know.
Citations
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/feta-cheese
