Gastroesophageal reflux disease or acid reflux
These are two health conditions that cause people to change their diets. When you suffer from these ailments, you want to avoid eating any food with acidity. But fruit is healthy for you and can be eaten all the time?
Grapes are slightly acidic and normally have a pH between 3 and 4. Some varieties of grape are more acidic than others, and grapes are known to produce tartaric acid, which is a rare compound in fruits. In general, rapes should be avoided by people coping with acid reflux problems.
Not necessarily. There are fruits you should avoid eating when suffering from those ailments. To find out if grapes are one of those food items, just continue to read our article. It has that answer and other information you need to know about.
Are grapes OK for acid reflux?
There is no beating around the bush when it comes to answering this question. Grapes are not a good fruit to eat when you are suffering from acid reflux. But it is not the only fruit you should avoid eating when you have acid reflux issues.
Limes, lemons, pomegranates, and grapes are all acid-rich and should not be consumed when you have trouble with your stomach. These fruits contain some of the highest levels of acid in the fruit family.
When you have trouble with acid reflux, you should go on an elimination diet to clear out those foods that make the condition worse. The reason you need to do this is to prevent other negative health issues from forming.
Those health issues can be more serious than just having acidic urine. Sometimes uric acid stones can form which can be as painful as kidney stones. Plus, you could lose bone and muscle density as well as a liver disorder, heart disease, or cancer.
That is the worst case scenario. The best case scenario is that you may damage your teeth and remove the enamel if you do not drink grape and other acidic juices through a straw.
Do grapes cause stomach acid?
The best way to answer this is yes and no. The no portion of the answer refers to the fact that every body has stomach acid already. It is a necessary function and ingredient in the body that helps the stomach process food.
Plus, it kills harmful bacteria. The process has the stomach creating gastrin which in turn creates hydrochloric acid. When you get too much acid, then you will start to have stomach issues.
What this all means is that grapes do not create acid, their acidity levels may increase the level of your stomach acid causing you problems. So the yes portion of the answer refers to the contribution grapes make to the acid levels in your stomach.
But it is not just grapes that will do it. High fiber foods will cause too much acid as well greasy or spicy foods. Then having a lot of space between meals allows for too much acid to develop in your stomach.
All three of these items will make a contribution to your acid reflux situation. Grapes will not be the only element. Then, not every grape variety will make this contribution as the next section will explain.
Are grapes rich in acid?
Keeping in mind what we just wrote, there is some good news about grapes. Not every variety is high in acidity. There are different varieties of grapes and each variety has its own acid levels.
Before we get to that topic, a little explanation needs to be made about PH levels in food. The PH scale goes from 0 to 14 with 7 being the neutral level. a higher number means that the food item is not very acidic.
A number below 7 means that the food item is very acidic. Grapes land at 2.90 to 3.82 on the pH scale making them acidic. However, as you can see by that range, some grape varieties are less acidic than others. A food is said to be acidic when its number is at or below 4.6 on the pH scale.
The reason for this discrepancy is it depends on where the grapes are grown. Their acidic level changes according to the climate. Those grapes grown in cooler climates tend to be more acidic than those varieties grown in warmer regions of the world.
To help protect yourself from negative results from acid, you may have to be extra cautious and look for where the grapes you want to buy are grown.
What fruit is low in acid?
There are several fruit options available to you that help prevent your acid levels from rising too high. Here is a list of a few of those fruits
- Bananas- this fruit is easy to digest have high concentrations of potassium and register at 5.0 on the PH scale
- Coconuts- besides being low in acid this fruit helps protect you from strokes and heart disease. it is also supposed to help brain function.
- Dates & figs- a pair of low acid fruits that have a very nice sweet flavor. they can be eaten on their own or added to some gourmet dishes, smoothies, baked goods as well as granola.
- Melons- two melons that register high on the PH scale are watermelons and cantaloupes. they are also rich in vitamins and low in calories.
- Papaya- the good thing about this low acid fruit is that not only is it high in vitamin C and carotenes but it can also be eaten in many different ways. Cut up, dried, or frozen doe snot change its nature or add acid.
- Berries- these are what is called a superfood and you get low acid when you eat them. Some of the best of this category are blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries. They are also high in antioxidants which is a good thing for your health
- Nectarines & peaches- if you can’t get berries or other fruits on this list, then go for this pair. They are high in antioxidants and vitamins and also hit high on the PH scale
What causes excess acid?
The cause for excess acid in your stomach is not restricted to just grapes. there are many other causes you can deal with that will allow you to enjoy eating grapes again. here are a few more causes:
#1. Bacterial infection- the Helicobacter pylori, or H. pylori bacteria is one of the main causes, and believe it or not, over half the world has it in their system right now. The good news is that it contaminates the stomach during childhood.
#2. Alcohol- this drink will irritate your stomach lining and then induce more stomach acid production. Cut out or down on your drinking and you should see an improvement
#3. Milk- a healthy food that has a negative side effects. This product does induce more acid production. keep your milk consumption in moderation.
#4. Caffeine- this coffee ingredient is said to be a gastric acid production stimulant as well. It is also found in soda and chocolate so be careful how much you consume
#5. Smoking- more acid production is triggered when you smoke, The smoke will relax the lower esophageal sphincter and when that happens the acid goes to your throat causing acid reflux
#6. Stress- too much will cause your stomach to produce more acid. Take a break from time to time to lower your stress levels.
#7. Stomach cancers- while the disease is bad enough, that ailment will increase your stomach acid and the gastrin hormone production
How to get rid of excess stomach acid
Eating grapes only contributes to your excess stomach acid. there are other factors involved that make the bad situation worse. You know you have excess stomach acid when you start feeling heartburn, stomach discomfort and indigestion, and hunger.
To solve your acid issue you do not have to give up eating grapes. You can do one or more of the following to help get rid of that excess. Consider the following solutions:
#1. Drink apple cider vinegar- its natural enzymes help break down food and get rid of acid.
#2. Green juices- these drinks alkalize the body and reduce inflammation. They also stimulate gastric juices that help with digestion. drink about 30 minutes prior to your meal
#3. A green smoothie- this can be done at breakfast and the ingredients should include spinach, cucumber, berries, lemon juice, and unsweetened almond juice
#4. Raw salad and vegetables- these are naturally alkaline which helps balance the acid levels in your stomach
#5. Olive oil- only a tablespoon is needed and it will coat your stomach helping you with heartburn and indigestion
#6. Honey- does the same job as olive oil
Some final words
Grapes are nutritious but too much of a good thing can have some negative side effects. Everything in moderation is a good guideline when it comes to eating grapes. Even though this fruit is high in acid, you can still eat them if you watch how much you eat.
Plus, you can do some of the other solutions to excess acid problems and still get the nutrition grapes have in store for you. Watch what you eat and drink as well and prevent acid reflux from starting in your stomach. that way you can enjoy life once again.
