Is Prosciutto Bad for Acid Reflux?

Prosciutto is a popular Italian delicacy. However, it can aggravate heartburn in those who have GERD. A better alternative is to eat the cured ham and not consume the salt.

Prosciutto, as well as other ham, pork, and bacon products, can trigger an acid reflux attack.

If you have an acid reflux condition and are worried about the potential side effects of eating prosciutto or ham, it’s important to consult your doctor.

Table of Contents

What is Acid Reflux?

There is a ring of muscle called the lower LES at the entrance to your stomach. Normally, the LES closes as soon as food enters it.

If the LES doesn’t close all the way or if it opens too often, acid produced by your stomach can make its way into your esophagus.

Symptoms such as a burning chest can be caused by this.

If acid reflux symptoms happen more than twice a week, you may have acid reflux disease, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease.

What Causes Acid Reflux Disease?

There is a stomach abnormality called a hiatal hernia which is a common cause of acid reflux disease.

The upper part of the stomach and LES move above the diaphragm, which is a muscle that separates your chest from your stomach.

The acid in the stomach can be kept in the diaphragm. If you have a hiatal hernia, acid can move up into your esophagus and cause symptoms of acid reflux disease.

Risk Factors for Acid Reflux Disease:

Eating large meals or
Lying down after a meal

Being overweight
Heavy meals
Eating during bedtime

Alcohol, carbonated drinks, coffee, or tea
Smoking
Being pregnant

Symptoms of Acid Reflux

Heartburn
Chest pain
Difficulty swallowing

Regurgitation of sour liquid
Lump sensation in your throat
Chronic cough

Laryngitis
New or worsening asthma
Disrupted sleep

What Foods to Avoid If You Are Suffering from Acid Reflux?

Stomach pain, chest pain, and other symptoms can be caused by acid reflux. When stomach acid goes back up through the esophagus, it’s known as acid reflux.

Many people experience the condition occasionally, while others with gastroesophageal reflux disease experience severe symptoms frequently.

One of the best ways to deal with acid reflux is to keep an eye on your diet.

Certain foods are known to cause problems because they affect the amount of acid your stomach produces.

If you want to manage your acid reflux symptoms, you should avoid these top foods.

Bacon

It may be one of the most recognizable breakfast foods, but bacon is one of the worst for triggering acid reflux.

The lower LES relaxes when there is fat and greasy food, which allows more acid to travel up to the esophagus.

High-fat content can be found in bacon fat, ham fat, and lard.

Red Meat

Red meats, including lamb, beef, and pork, typically have a higher percentage of fat than other types of meats.

If you want to protect against acid reflux, eat foods like burgers and steaks only a few times a week.

Cheese

Cheese, whole milk, sour cream, and many other dairy products have high-fat content. You should skip an after-dinner scoop of ice cream if you are prone to acid reflux.

Butter

High-fat foods are more difficult to digest and sit in your stomach. The acid in your stomach will be increased by this.

It’s a good idea to swap in healthy cooking oil for butter when making dinner because of its high-fat content.

Coffee and Tea

Coffee and tea can have a lot of Caffeine which is a common cause of heartburn, and coffee and tea can have a lot of Caffeine is a common cause of heartburn.

If you want to keep your coffee cup count low, you can replace it with a cup of decaffeinated tea.

It is possible to soothe an upset stomach with many kinds of tea that do not have caffeine.