Can Spinach Give You Acid Reflux?

Green vegetables have always been a great addition to a diet plan. Spinach is a very prominent example of such a leafy green vegetable. Spinach is one of the most nutritious and the healthiest foods. Spinach has around 91% water, 4% carbohydrates and 3% protein, and contains negligible fat. This vegetable is known very well for its numerous health benefits. Spinach has numerous health benefits, people who consume this green leafy vegetable frequently experience improvement in blood glucose (if suffering from diabetes), helps in minimizing the risk of having any form of cancer, good for high blood pressure, enhancement bone health and significantly reduces or eliminates the asthma or development of asthma. Spinach also helps in improving eye sight, maintaining healthy bones, lowering hypertension, boosting immunity and acid reflux.

No, raw spinach cannot cause acid reflux but if you cook spinach then it becomes little acidic. Spinach makes a very healthy addition to a diet of people with gastro esophageal reflux disease which is also known as GERD. Along with containing various vitamins and minerals, spinach also provides us with dietary fiber to aid digestion problems and thus avoid acid reflux. Acid reflux occurs when acid produced in the stomach move up into our esophagus. This can cause symptoms like heartburn.

Experiencing acid reflux more than twice a week indicated GERD. An acid reflux diet, including vegetables, helps protects against its various symptoms. Spinach works very efficiently in an acid reflux diet, but it is needed that we avoid including it with sauces and creams. Many gastroenterologists suggest avoiding creamy style vegetables in the Acid reflux diet. The various fatty additives encourage acid reflux. It is recommended to eat fresh, steamed or lightly cooked spinach without high fat additives in the meals.
Spinach is one of the most alkaline foods in its raw state. Doctors always recommend to include alkaline foods in daily diet especially to patients you suffer from the problem of Acid reflux. This is because alkaline food helps in balancing the pH of the body. It actually works wonder in controlling or neutralizing the acidity. However, if we talk about spinach, it actually becomes slightly acidic when it is cooked, so it is important that spinach is consumed in its raw state. Adding spinach to the daily diet provides additional minerals and vitamins, as well as fiber which aids with digestion. Minerals in spinach include selenium and zinc. The selenium contains properties that protect the esophagus and zinc helps in reducing gastric acid secretion.

There are many reasons for the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) (which are the bundle of muscles at the lower end of the esophagus and it prevents acid and stomach contents from traveling backwards from the stomach) to stop working correctly which includes eating a heavy meal which fills the stomach too full and puts too much pressure on the muscle preventing it from closing correctly. This is the main reason why including fresh vegetables like spinach can actually help prevent acid reflux and its various discomforting symptoms. Also, spinach makes us feel fuller sooner so that we do not need to eat much.

Spinach also helps in weight control, and is thus it is even more helpful since being overweight is also a big cause of acid reflux because the extra weight can put pressure on the stomach which in turn, places pressure on the LES. Spinach contains a biochemical substance known as thyllakoids, his helps in suppressing the appetite and thereby restrict intake of unwanted calories. This is one of the most effective ways facilitating weight loss.

Acid reflux and its various symptoms can be found in a large percentage of the population but can be treated and even prevented with attention to the daily diet.