9 Foods To Help You Fight Acidity

The food we eat goes into our stomach through the oesophagus. The gastric glands in your stomach create acid, which is necessary to digest the food. When the gastric glands create more acid than needed for the digestion process, you tend to feel a burning sensation below the breastbone. This condition is commonly called acidity. In this hectic lifestyle, acidity is the one thing that catches us off guard. It is one thing that all of us have faced regardless of what we do or where we stay. Whether you are at work or home, our erratic working hours make us vulnerable to heartburn. There is a reason acidity is called heartburn – the fire like feeling, burning and scorching pain reaching up to our throat really does feel like a smoldering fire. When acidity symptoms occur more than twice a week, your doctor may diagnose you with Gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD but there are various foods, superfoods, already in your kitchen that will not only help you tackle acidity but also stop the formation of excessive acid in your stomach. These superfoods also protect yo-ur digestive organs. Here are 9 of them.

Ginger

Properties found in ginger protects the inner walls of our stomach from acidic inflammation. Since some amount of acid is required to carry out bodily functions like digestion and excretion, our body cannot afford to get rid of all acid. Ginger is the best option to protect our organs from hyper-acidity and inflammation. Simply extract ginger juice, mix it with half a lemon, ground mineral salt and half a glass of water, and gulp the solution down like a tonic.

Watermelon juice

Watermelon is a delicious and refreshing fruit that’s also good for you. It contains only 46 calories per cup but is high in vitamin C, vitamin A and many healthy plant compounds. Watermelon contains lots of water and a small amount of fiber — both of which are important for healthy digestion. Fiber can provide bulk for your stool, while water helps keep your digestive tract moving efficiently. It is great to counter acidity. You can take a glass of watermelon juice with breakfast.

Coconut Water

Coconut water is the best option when it comes to maintaining the levels of our bodily enzymes and minerals, especially during summer. Our body’s pH is already acidic and it shoots up when we are facing issue of acidity. Coconut water turns this pH level into alkaline and also forms the mucus-like lining on the inner walls of your stomach to protect it from excessive acid and acid formation. Natural coconut water, freshly extracted, is a superb source of electrolytes, which help in maintain pH balance in our body. Therefore, a coconut water a day keeps acidity at bay.

Banana

The pH level of banana is higher, making it an alkaline fruit. This help us neutralise the acid in the stomach. The potassium in bananas produces mucus lining in the stomach, which helps in lowering the pH levels in the stomach during hyper-acidity. It is said that eating over-ripe banana post-meal is one of the best ways to not only tackle acidity but also to improve digestion.

Fresh lime juice

Some people drink lemon water as a daily morning laxative to help prevent constipation. Drinking warm or hot lemon water when you wake up may help get your digestive system moving. Ayurvedic medicine says the sour lemon taste helps stimulate your “agni.” In ayurvedic medicine, a strong agni jump-starts the digestive system, allowing you to digest food more easily and helping to prevent the buildup of toxins. It taken at least an hour before lunch helps to reduce the uneasiness caused by acidity.

Cold Milk

If you are facing issue of heartburn because of acidity, cold milk is the best and the quickest solution to at least stop the pain and burning. Milk is of high pH level, which makes it the best option to fight acidity. Therefore, it is advised to consume at least half a cup of cold milk when you feel acid formation in your stomach. This gives instant relief. Avoid adding sugar in it since sugar aggravates the effect of acidity.

Basil leaves

The essential volatile oil of basil has been seen as a traditional remedy to treat a variety of tummy problems in addition to indigestion. Consuming basil could help reduce bloating and water retention. It can even stimulate loss of appetite and could cure acid reflux as well. It also helps in reducing Acidity. Just boil basil leaves in water and drink it frequently to reduce acid reflux. You can also do this with mint leaves.

Cumin

Cumin is a great remedy for acidity. Munch on some cumin or boil a teaspoon of cumin in a glass of water. Boil until the water is reduced to half. Drink it on an empty stomach.

Buttermilk & Curd

Buttermilk and curd has good bacteria that benefits our body in various ways. One of them is of forming a mucus-like lining on the inner-wall of our digestive organs, which protects them from gastric acids. Also they do not allow for more formation of acid in the stomach. An ideal Indian meal will not be done without a glass-full of buttermilk or a simple bowl of naturally sweet curd.

Acidity or acid reflux is a common problem that most of us face, some on a day to day basis. Most times, acidity is accompanied by gas. The reverse can also be true. The most common cause of acid reflux is the consumption of unhealthy food accompanied by alcohol and smoking. Food that has a lot of fat and spice results in a burning sensation in your chest, which is a common symptom of acid reflux.