Repeated irritation of the sensitive mucous membranes of the esophagus can lead to esophagitis. Then the entire length of the esophagus is hypersensitive and eating and drinking sometimes causes severe pain. Swallowing disorders also appear in many of those affected. The main cause of the disease known as esophagitis is constant heartburn, in which corrosive gastric juice enters the esophagus and causes painful erosion there. Viruses or fungi can also trigger esophagitis, but are less common causes. Those affected by painful esophagitis should definitely protect their esophagus and avoid certain foods.
Table of Contents
1. Bread
Avoid fresh white bread if you have esophagitis. The fresher the bread, the more active the fermenting yeast cultures contained in the bread. These then stimulate the production of gastric acid in the stomach. Pressure in the stomach increases, stomach pain and discomfort may develop, and heartburn becomes more likely. If the acidic stomach mash then passes through the gastric sphincter, your inflamed esophageal mucosa will be additionally irritated. Another disadvantage of bread: hard and sharp-edged crusts sometimes cause great pain in the inflamed esophagus when swallowing. If you cannot or do not want to do without bread during esophagitis, it is better to reach for soft, cooled wholemeal bread.
2. coffee
As difficult as it may be for you, if you suffer from esophagitis, coffee is unfortunately taboo. The caffeine in coffee has a relaxing effect on your muscles, similar to alcohol. This means that the gastric sphincter also relaxes and it can no longer fulfill its actual task of preventing corrosive gastric juice from bubbling up into the esophagus. The result: painful heartburn and acid regurgitation pull your already irritated esophagus further. In addition, coffee causes a general increase in gastric juice production, because the stimulating hot drink is naturally very acidic. Depending on the type of roast and the coffee bean, coffee contains more than 50 different acids that not only stimulate gastric juice production,
3. Acidic fruits and vegetables
Citrus fruits are very acidic. Oranges, lemons, grapefruits, pineapples, but also certain berries such as gooseberries, currants or cranberries should be removed from your diet if you suffer from esophagitis. Juices made from these and other sour fruits and berries are also not a good idea. The fruit acid not only irritates the esophagus but also your stomach. Gastric juice production increases and heartburn causes additional irritation of the mucous membranes. Of course, you shouldn’t do without healthy vitamins and plant-based nutrients during your illness . If you have esophagitis, however, it is better to use easily digestible bananas, pears, honey or watermelons and apple varieties such as Gala or Golden Delicious.
4. Intense spices
Spices that are particularly intense add pep to our food, but they cause increased acid formation in the stomach, which causes pain when it rises into the esophagus. If you are already suffering from an inflamed esophagus, it is also advisable to completely avoid hot and strongly aromatic spices. Chili powder, ginger, paprika, curry or pepper irritate the mucous membranes of the esophagus on the way to the stomach. For severe heartburn attacks and inflammatory esophagus, a stomach-friendly diet is definitely the best choice.
