You keep peanuts and pistachios at your desk as a way to snack smarter. Or maybe you add a dollop of almond butter to your smoothie every morning. Nuts have a lot of nutrition to offer — but can they also cause heartburn? It’s possible, but it depends on which nuts and how many you eat.
What Is Heartburn? What Is Heartburn? People typically describe heartburn as a burning pain behind their breastbone. There may also be a bitter or acidic taste in the back of the throat. Heartburn is caused by acid reflux. That’s when stomach acid, food, or other contents from your stomach move back up into your esophagus (the tube connecting your mouth to your stomach) toward your mouth.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976295b384e90-ffd4-4c0a-ae7f-642d5380af85 If you get heartburn more than a few times a week, you may be diagnosed with a condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629b779f809-2e42-484a-9fdd-5bdfafaf45eb
Nuts and Heartburn Nuts and Heartburn Nuts are powerhouses of healthy fats — the kind that could benefit your heart health.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629d9b6c583-ae6d-4407-96c7-6c783b6670e6 But foods high in fats are also known to contribute to acid reflux.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976298e2aa306-e939-45e6-9370-bb1d7ab1b034 “Fat is one of the triggers to make the bottom sphincter in the esophagus relax and promote a tendency toward reflux,” says C. Prakash Gyawali, MD , a professor of medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. “If a person with reflux disease were to have a big amount of nuts, their esophageal symptoms could potentially worsen temporarily.” Dr. Gyawali notes that you’d probably have to eat a lot of nuts for this to become a problem. And a large meal of any kind can trigger heartburn. “If somebody ate a full peanut butter sandwich, is it the peanut butter that made them reflux or the volume of the meal? Probably both,” he says. If you frequently have heartburn, Gyawali recommends choosing nuts that are lower in fat, and not eating too many. Here’s how some popular types of nuts compare in fat content, given in grams of fat per 1 ounce of raw nuts: Cashews, 11.1 gramse60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629a523d33b-d2da-4ef6-b1f8-5c7d0f33e46b Pistachios, 12.8 gramse60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629b4218afd-a810-4033-862e-0732923a5760 Peanuts, 13.8 gramse60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762914e02d43-5841-4353-9ae8-0e646ae27533 Almonds, 14.6 gramse60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629d3fbf087-0100-4af7-872c-8b861dd78cae Hazelnuts, 15.3 gramse60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762979306370-bdd4-41d7-88b2-81ca6612fd6d Walnuts, 19.9 gramse60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629dda5a50c-3039-4819-b32c-f6d9e758caa1 Pecans, 20.9 gramse60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976293b5e4349-3a12-40c2-a39a-6ee38cfe7667 Almonds have another property that may make them less likely to worsen reflux symptoms: “They are alkaline; they’re not acidic,” says Gyawali. Their alkaline nature can actually help to neutralize stomach acid and reduce symptoms of heartburn.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629bc69ca52-3053-422f-8481-dad0ba1b96c2
Heartburn and Eosinophilic Esophagitis Eosinophilic Esophagitis Nuts can also trigger chest discomfort or pain if you have a condition called eosinophilic esophagitis. This is a rare, chronic condition in which a type of white blood cell called eosinophils builds up in the lining of the esophagus. This leads to inflammation, trouble swallowing, and pain that’s sometimes described as heartburn, says Gyawali.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976299520acb5-67e4-40c5-847e-bf334451b018 Because eosinophilic esophagitis is thought to be caused by an immune system or allergic reaction, people who have the condition are often encouraged to try an elimination diet. This means removing major food allergens — including peanuts and tree nuts — from your diet, to help identify which ones trigger your symptoms.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976297fa03b79-ce13-4827-81fa-8d1c4cbee385
Other Causes of Heartburn Other Causes of Heartburn If nuts don’t seem to be the cause of your heartburn, there are other food culprits to consider. Known triggers include:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762918cc43aa-51d2-4895-b247-de5f3418dd6f Fried or fatty foods Chocolate Alcohol Coffee (including decaf) Carbonated beverages Tomato sauce Citrus fruits or juices Peppermint Vinegar Other possible triggers to avoid that aren’t related to specific foods include:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976294cae60a6-752e-410b-9922-4d17d6575b87 Eating large meals Lying down within a few hours after eating Wearing tight clothing that puts pressure on your stomach Taking aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory pain medications Smoking Being overweight
The Takeaway Nuts are nutritious, but they can potentially contribute to heartburn, due to their high fat content. If you have GERD or frequent heartburn, eating nuts in moderation or choosing lower-fat nuts like cashews and pistachios may reduce your risk of triggering symptoms. If you’re experiencing persistent or severe heartburn, it’s important to consult with a healthcare professional for an accurate diagnosis and effective management plan.
Read the full article here
Leave a comment
