If you suffer from heartburn or acid reflux, you already know how gut issues onset by poor food choices can put a damper on (arguably) one of the most important events of the week: game night.
Described as irritation which occurs when acid produced in your stomach travels up your esophagus because your lower esophageal sphincter (a ring of muscle at the entrance to your stomach) closes as soon as food passes through, opens too often or doesn’t close all the way. This annoyance, which has very little to do with your heart, can cause hiccups, burping, or worse, nausea.
Instead of the typical game day foods, we’ve listed some gut-friendly alternatives below.
1. Spicy food
While I consider myself somewhat of a taco connoisseur (especially during on the edge of your seat sporting events), consuming Sriracha and chili pepper covered tortillas prior to binge watching the NBA Finals is a sure fire way to being miserable missing out on all the action. After all, spices are inherently known for irritating the stomach lining.
Swap for: chicken
A staple of The Reflux Diet, poultry can be baked, grilled, sautéed – you name it. Note: Shy away from lathering your chicken in sauces or dressings high in acid and fats. If you must indulge, experts suggest no more than one tablespoon (or less).
Seafood such as shrimp, lobster, and other shellfish is also highly recommended on this diet.