Spicy Diet, Low Acid Food List
Written by Sky Taylor, Diet Bites
The Spicy American Diet
A spicy diet might include one that is packed with peppers, pizza, garlic, salsa, Mexican foods, hot wings, Thai foods, Italian foods, Chinese foods and chili (Texas chili, Tennessee chili, Kansas City chili, Chicago Style chili, New York chili and Cajun chili recipes).
A spicy diet may cause Digestive Gut Woes for those who are weak in the tummy and these foods can render a pit full of misery, entertaining nausea, belching (or if you're from High Society, 'burping'), gastric upset, diarrhea, tummy ache, and the list goes on. There is nothing more frustrating than getting ready to enjoy a good night's rest only to be assaulted by an acid reflux attack.
Although many natural foods - such as peppers, can add heat to the pot as well as to the digestive track, many times the heat originates from natural spices such as chili pepper, cayenne pepper, and cumin.
But 'heat' need not be a contributing factor to digestive upset as cinnamon, ginger and allspice may also cause tummy flare-up.
Digestive Issues, Tips to Provide Relief
If you have begin to experience short term digestive issues, until you can meet with your doctor the following may offer relief:
Weed out the heat and see if your condition improves.
If no improvement is noted, examine the foods that are commonly a part of your daily diet which have a high acid content, such as tomatoes and citrus fruits. Sugar, and peanut butter are also notorious for contributing to heartburn.
Take note that while rice and oatmeal are on our list of low acid content foods, added butter or sugar to these foods can trigger acid upset in a big way.
Foods Can Increase Digestive Upset
While some foods might be appealing in quelling heartburn and other issues related to digestive upset, they may be more likely to make the condition worse.
Example: Joe is feeling heartburn in the worst way. He would like something to cool down his stomach so he reaches for a carton of vanilla ice cream. Big mistake. After the temporary relief, his heartburn is far worse than before he consumed the ice cream.
On that note, almost all dairy products may make digestive upset worse. Steer clear of milk, sour cream, rich cream and particularly butter and margarine. Remember - the dietary fats tend to make digestive issues worse.
Avoiding Greasy, Fatty Foods
Next, examine foods high in dietary fat and grease content. Fried foods are notorious for creating gastric upset.
Avoid Late Night Eating
Try to eat dinner before 6 PM in the evening and avoid eating before bedtime. Make dinner your lightest meal of the day; avoid Italian and Mexican foods which tend to be spicy and which often contain tomatoes in one form or another in the recipe.
Menu for Digestive Issues
Your menu may resemble the following as you attempt to get the body back into balance. During this time, it's best to go light on dairy, proteins and grains and bulk-up on fruits and vegetables.
Dinner Menu
1 small baked potato with the skin, minimal margarine, salt and no pepper
2 cups of melon, any variety
1/2 avocado combined with 2 cups of a spring mix of greens, a few cherry tomatoes and light dressing
1 serving of dried dates
Caffeine Can Aggravate Digestive Issues, as Can Dairy Foods, Grains & Proteins
Avoid coffee and tea that contain caffeine.
Dairy products may also cause gastric upset, so take note of any problems you experience after consuming dairy products.
Foods Containing Low Acid Content
Grain Group: Whole grains such as rice and oatmeal.
Fruit Group: Banana, apple, mango, watermelon, cantaloupe, honey dew melon.
Dairy Group: Goat cheese, skim milk.
Vegetable Group: Carrots and potatoes WITH THE PEELING are two of your best bets. While other vegetables are super low in acid content, they may contribute to other digestive issues including bloating, gas, and abdominal pain. If you're already experiencing acid reflux, the last thing you need to battle is unwanted gas.
Protein Group: Lean, fat free proteins including chicken, fish, egg whites or egg substitute.
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