Although painful and unbearable, acid reflux is a widespread gastric issue affecting millions of people daily. In simple words, what happens is that the stomach acid rises into the food pipe, irritating the lining. Consequently, people suffering from this condition feel heartburn and other bothering symptoms.
Luckily, there are many ways to soothe and treat the signs of acid reflux, including medical treatment or popular drinks you can always have at home. However, not all beverages work wonders for acid reflux. On the opposite, some might even worsen the symptoms.
What about Sprite? Is it wise to drink this sweet juice when dealing with GERD signs? Discover more about this topic from the chapters below.
What Is Acid Reflux? Symptoms And Self-Measures
As previously mentioned, acid reflux is a worldwide common health issue. It activates if the valve that connects the stomach with the food pipe softens. When this happens, a good part of the stomach acid rises into the food pipe, causing that acidic feeling.
Because stomach acid is such an irritant, it may lead to inflammation in the food pipe and many discomforts. These are the most frequent symptoms you may be dealing with:
- Chest pain
- Dry cough
- Acute pain in the chest
- Hoarse voice
- Sour taste in the mouth
- Painful throat
- Regurgitating acid and food after meals
- Swallowing difficulty
Nevertheless, acid reflux is a mild but uncomfortable symptom of GERD, a severe symptom some people interfere with daily. Some of the causes of acid reflux are:
- Dry mouth
- Obesity
- Pregnancy
- Diabetes
- Nicotine
- Hiatal hernia
If you deal with some of these symptoms too often and have severe acid reflux episodes, you should immediately see a doctor and determine a treatment plan.
But is there a way to you ameliorate all these symptoms without medical assistance? Well, for starters, you can try and follow these simple rules:
- Avoid wearing very tight clothes
- Manage your body weight
- Quit smoking
Sprite And Acid Reflux? A Soother Or A Trigger?
If the juice is part of your daily diet and you constantly deal with acid reflux, there might be a red flag in this equation.
Keep in mind! Acidic foods and drinks should not be included in any individual’s diet who suffers from acid reflux. And yes, this includes Sprite or natural citric juices, such as orange and grapefruit ones.
There is little evidence that non-acidic fruit juices will soothe the acid reflux symptoms; however, switching your eating habits to non-acidic options like watermelon or carrot juices may help reduce the chance of developing acid reflux and other painful symptoms.
Some studies still found an association between drinking carbonated beverages and the increase in GERD signs. Hence scientists recommend that people constantly dealing with acid reflux reduce carbonated drinks and better understand the foods that trigger or exacerbate GERD.
These are the primary beverage triggers to avoid if you are dealing with acid reflux:
Alcohol
Alcohol, even in moderation, may worsen the indigestion symptoms. The alcohol composition can increase stomach acid and lead to esophageal pain and struggle in swallowing.
Citrus Juice
Researches and multiple studies prove that citrus juice, including lemons, grapefruits, and oranges, may irritate the lining that is part of the esophagus. Research reveals that both of these fruit juices worsen the symptoms of GERD patients.
Sodas And Carbonated Beverages
Likewise, citrus juices, coffee or alcohol, sodas, and all carbonated drinks, including Sprite, trigger acid reflux.
Coffee
Unfortunately for coffee lovers, caffeinated drinks are a unique trigger for acid reflux.
Acid Reflux Remedies: Best Tips For Quick Relief
If you are dealing with constant acid reflux pain and discomfort, I suggest that you replace sodas, carbonated drinks, and coffee with any of these soothing beverages:
1. Coconut Water
Coconut water is highly hydrating; therefore, when you feel like your throat is on fire, soothe the uncomfortable feeling with coconut water. The first thing you will think about is the tenderness of this natural water. In addition to the calming effect, coconut water has many other benefits. For instance, coconut is rich in electrolytes and carbohydrates, like magnesium and potassium. Hence it is the perfect rehydration element for a cooling effect. On top of that, potassium from coconut water is ideal for balancing the stomach pH.
2. Smoothies
Instead of orange or lemon juice, consider drinking a smoothie of fruits, oats, and vegetables. All these ingredients are rich in fibers and have a high satiety value. Therefore, drink smoothies to prevent acid reflux if you follow a strict diet and want to look up your diet.
3. Cold Milk
Low-fat milk will instantly soothe and offer relief from heartburn.
Word of precaution: Be aware that full-fat dairy has a high percentage of fat that may aggravate acid reflux symptoms.
4. Vegetable juices
Vegetables are part of the alkaline pH range, and if combined with high water content, they work excellently in reducing acid reflux symptoms. Some of the top juices in this direction is the bottle of gourd juice. If you don’t want to constantly go to the pharmacy or naturist shops to look for acid reflux remedies, try this home “treatment.” Vegetable juices are also a great source of nutrients, so tell me, really, can you wish for more?
5. Lemon ginger juice
Say what? I just previously claimed citrus fruits could aggravate acidity. Right? Yes, they do. However, when used in moderation, and when I say moderation, I just mean only a few drops of lemon in some lukewarm water and a bit of honey, this mix will aid digestion and reduce acid reflux symptoms. Also, compared to gastric pH, this beverage is a lot more alkaline.
If you want to switch to the classic mild lemonade, consider some grated ginger boiled in water. Mix it with rock salt, cumin powder, and drops of lemon juice, and use this as a post-meal beverage.
6. Apple cider vinegar
This may also come as a surprise, but it actually works, and I will explain exactly why this is. Although very acidic in concentrated form, causing a lot of throat irritation and inflammation, in small amounts, apple cider vinegar can actually reduce acid reflux.
Tip: Combine a few drops with luke water and consume this when dealing with GERD symptoms.
7. Probiotics
Gut-friendly bacteria improve digestion and soothe acid reflux. And it’s a known fact that probiotics bring healthy bacteria to the gut.
Tip: For instance, salted low-fat buttermilk is one great option for probiotics that it’s totally worth trying.
Last Thoughts
Long story short, acid reflux and Sprite do not work together. As a matter of fact, any soda or carbohydrate drink can trigger the uncomfortable feeling of GERD.
Diet is the key to resolving acid reflux symptoms independently. And yes, it’s a fact that healthy diets and food habits are your weapons for fighting heartburn.
The conclusion? Try and replace Sprite with vegetable and alkaline fruit juices, ginger teas, plant-milk-based products, and smoothies. Avoid alcoholic drinks and carbonated beverages if you constantly deal with acid reflux.