No carbs, no heartburn

sueblue77
sueblue77 Posts: 54 Member
in Food and Nutrition
When I reduced my carb intake this summer, my heartburn immediately improved. Almost to symptom free. Now if I have a day with too many carbs, I'll have heartburn again that night, but it's not as bad. Usually I keep my carbs less than 80 and my heartburn is nonexistent. I've been trying to find a reasonable explanation for this, but I thought I'd ask. Has anyone else experienced this very pleasant side effect of a low carb lifestyle? What's your daily carb limit for heartburn relief? Is it only refined carbs that cause the symptoms? Does anyone have an explanation in layman's terms of why this works? Thank you.

Replies

  • GeorgieLove708
    GeorgieLove708 Posts: 442 Member
    I don't have that problem, only soda gives me heartburn, but here's a bump.
  • 126siany
    126siany Posts: 1,386 Member
    If they were highly processed carbs (breads, etc.) it might be the reduction in sodium and transfats that has improved your heartburn. Most refined carbs are chock full of sodium and sodium worsens heatburn. Transfats are high in many baked goods and can also impact heartburn. So it may not be the reduction in carbs that improved/eliminated your heartburn, but rather the reduction in sodium and transfats that came along with the processed carbs.
  • jnoring
    jnoring Posts: 93
    I wish I got heartburn from carbs. I get it from everything! I am sure if I lost weight it would be less of an issue though.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    Glad you've found a way to improve your heartburn, it can be horrible. Too much fat in one meal used to set it off for me.
  • alaskaang
    alaskaang Posts: 493 Member
    It could be that something you've cut out was a source of irritation to your system. Since cutting out all grains and soy, my chronic heartburn is completely gone.
  • Tobethin608
    Tobethin608 Posts: 47 Member
    I too have no more heartburn since going low carb. I was recently away fro 3 days and couldn't avoid carbs. Sure enough the heartburn returned. Another great side effect for me is that I am thinking so much clearer! Will be low carb for life!
  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
    My husbands heartburn (which he used to take medication for) is completely gone following a low carb, high fat diet that eliminates wheat.

    We thought it was fat or spicy food causing it because that's what you always hear and even what the doctor will say. But when we completely changed our diet in January to the conventional diet that's always recommended for health his heartburn persisted. And honestly, it's become so common and everyone seems to suffer from it at least occasionally we never even stopped to wonder why he still had heartburn when we were eating all the "right" things. It never occurred to us that it was actually the pastas, bread and "healthy whole grains" causing his heartburn and not the sauces and toppings that go with them.
  • slimjoycenow
    slimjoycenow Posts: 16 Member
    My previously very troublesome heartburn has certainly almost gone, and I've only lost 12 lbs out of 60 so far. I was putting it down to less upwards pressure rather than a specific food stuff, but will pay more attention. But yes, very pleasant side effect :-)
  • Madholm
    Madholm Posts: 167
    As soon as I dropped my calorie intake to 1200 my heartburn has almost completely disappeared.
  • JanetLynnJudy
    JanetLynnJudy Posts: 173 Member
    Both me and my partner no longer suffer from heartburn when we follow our regular low carb. diet. Before we changed to a low carb. diet we both suffered from heartburn on a pretty much daily basis. The only time we ever get heartburn now is on rare occasions when we go off diet and have higher carb. food.
  • mocara
    mocara Posts: 1
    Hi Kyanca,
    I had put my heartburn down to diet coke, but a week of no carbs has shown me that it is carb related.
    This was an interesting read: http://www.nemechekconsultativemedicine.com/?page_id=1421
  • Bukawww
    Bukawww Posts: 159 Member
    This phenomenon applies to me as well. My heartburn was so bad recently, I had an EKG, chest X-ray, and bloodwork done to see if I was having heart issues. Turns out some Zantac did the trick. This 'health scare' sent me into immediate 'diet' mode (which for me means lower carb, under 100g, 1200-1800 calories, plus no food at least 3 hours before bed)...heartburn eliminated. I suffer from it on higher carb days (once a week).
  • shortnsassy1981
    shortnsassy1981 Posts: 154 Member
    Sweets have always giving me reflux. When I cut out breads, my reflux decreases. It could be the sugar in carbs. Most people who avoid carbs naturally avoid a higher intake of sugar if they're cooking with whole foods/non processed ingredients.

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