Acid Reflux and Peanut Butter: What You Should Know

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Acid reflux, the uncomfortable reflux of stomach acid up your esophagus, is usually triggered by what you eat and drink. Eat the wrong food and you will inevitably feel bloated or acid reflux. Some foods are known to cause more reflux than others, including peanut butter. Learn more about acid reflux and peanut butter below.

1. Relationship of Acid Reflux and Peanut Butter

Acid reflux occurs when acid in your stomach backs up into your esophagus. The most common symptoms typically include a burning sensation in the chest (heartburn) and a sour taste in the back of the mouth.
Your diet can have a big impact on your acid reflux symptoms. Just as everyone experiences acid reflux to varying degrees, food triggers can vary from person to person.
Peanut butter is not generally considered to cause acid reflux, but it can affect some people to varying degrees. While there are undeniably some of the health benefits of peanut butter, it's also a high-fat food. These foods can increase acid reflux symptoms.
Peanut butter is high in unsaturated fats - good fats are always recommended. Unsaturated fats help lower your cholesterol levels. This may reduce the risk of metabolic cardiovascular disease.
This avocado is also a good source of vitamins and minerals. For example, it contains manganese - this mineral helps activate enzymes designed to remove toxins from the body. It also breaks down nutrients for your body to absorb and helps with tissue growth.
In addition, they are very rich in fiber and protein. Fiber promotes digestive health, while protein helps build and repair muscle tissue.
What the studies say Although the relationship between acid reflux and diet has been studied extensively, there hasn't been much research on specific foods including peanut butter. It is not clear whether eating peanut butter will affect your symptoms.
Meanwhile, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center lists peanut butter as a good choice for people with acid reflux. You should choose natural peanut butter, no sugar will be better.
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center has shown that smooth peanut butter is best. You should avoid chewy peanut butter because it is more likely to cause acid reflux symptoms.
Smooth peanut butter is often part of a soft oesophagus diet. Your doctor may recommend this diet if you have esophagitis, or inflammation of the esophagus. Acid reflux is often a symptom of esophagitis

Risks and warnings Research is there, but some people believe that peanut butter can make acid reflux worse. You should talk to your doctor about whether to add peanut butter to your diet. It's best to start with a small amount of peanut butter and work your way up to standard servings. A typical serving is about two tablespoons of peanut butter.
Several other studies discuss a potential link between eosinophilic esophagitis and food allergens. This condition causes esophageal dysfunction.
This can be reduced by a diet that eliminates six foods. Approximately 70% of adults with this condition are in remission by avoiding certain foods, such as peanuts. Such products include:
Wheat Milk Eggs Soybeans Nuts Fish and aquatic shellfish. Using a diet-based plan to treat acid reflux may reduce or relieve your symptoms.

2. Surprising side effects of eating peanut butter, according to Science

2.1. Acid reflux or heartburn Peanuts are higher in fat than some other nuts, which means they aggravate the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), a flap-like muscle at the end of the esophagus. yours. Fatty foods can cause the LES to dilate — but not in a good way. You need your LES muscle to be healthy because it is what seals the bottom of your esophagus and protects it from stomach acid.
So when fatty foods cause your LES muscle to relax, stomach acid can back up into your esophagus, causing acid reflux and heartburn symptoms. However, as long as you eat nut butter in small portions (about 2 tablespoons per serving) throughout the week, you can avoid this problem altogether.
2.2. Difficulty swallowing Besides overeating a tablespoon of peanut butter and feeling that you will choke without a glass of water in hand, there is another reason why it is difficult for your esophagus to function properly. this. That is, you can have a mild allergy to peanuts without knowing that it can cause eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). According to the Mayo Clinic, EoE is a chronic immune system disease that can cause inflammation of the esophageal tissue and make it difficult to swallow.
Food allergies, along with other risk factors such as environmental allergies and asthma, can cause EoE to develop. In addition, repeated acid reflux can worsen inflammation in the esophagus. So, if you often experience acid reflux after eating peanut butter or feel like you have a lump in your throat, see a gastroenterologist who can check for an allergic reaction and consider giving it a try. Should endoscopic intervention or not?
2.3. Inflammation Peanuts have omega-6 fatty acids - fatty acids that cause inflammation in the body if you eat too much. Sydney Greene, MS, RD: "Although eating peanut butter is believed to be safe and even beneficial in moderate amounts, the problem with omega-6 fatty acids is that most people consume it," says Dr. Sydney Greene, MS, RD. When the ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids is more in favor of omega-6 fatty acids, more inflammatory processes can occur. Omega-3 fatty acids, on the other hand, help reduce inflammation in the body, so it's important that you eat more of these fatty acids-containing foods (eg. : walnuts, salmon, flaxseeds, oysters) to ensure that inflammation in the body is kept to a minimum. This is extremely important because chronic inflammation can have a negative effect on your tissues and organs if left untreated.
2.4. Improves heart health Because peanuts are rich in these unsaturated fatty acids, they are a much better substitute for foods high in saturated fat (like processed foods and red meat). . Peanut oil is particularly rich in oleic acid, which is believed to help maintain good cholesterol (HDL) levels and blood pressure, both of which are important factors for optimal heart health. It's also the reason peanut butter is substituted for unhealthy fats in your diet. So, choosing a tablespoon of peanut butter with a piece or two of dark chocolate is much better than a full-fat
2.5 creamer. Weight gain Peanut butter is high in calories, so you can gain weight if you eat too much. Maintain eating at two tablespoons per day equivalent to 200 calories.

3. Treatment of gastric reflux

If you don't have frequent symptoms of acid reflux, you can let it go away on its own without intervention. Over-the-counter medications, such as antacids, can also treat mild discomfort. You should not take antacids for more than 14 days. If your symptoms do not improve, see your doctor again.
More severe cases of acid reflux should be treated with both over-the-counter and prescription medications under a doctor's supervision. Medications include H2-receptor antagonists and proton pump inhibitors. These drugs in combination usually provide longer-lasting pain relief than antacids.
In severe cases, you may need surgery to repair the lower esophageal sphincter.
You can also make lifestyle changes to ease or alleviate your symptoms. Losing weight, exercising, and eating smaller meals with fewer trigger foods can reduce the frequency and severity of symptoms.
Currently, there are mixed opinions about whether peanut butter has a positive or negative effect on acid reflux. But if you still love it and want to add peanut butter to your diet, you should:
Slowly incorporate it into your meal plan. Start with a small amount of peanut butter. Be aware of any other foods in your diet that can cause acid reflux. If your symptoms persist, schedule an appointment with your doctor so your diet and plan can be determined. the best treatment plan for you.
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Reference sources: healthline.com, eatthis.com