Ice cream also contains sugar, which causes heartburn. Some people complain of Vanilla Ice Cream Help Heartburn. When you often suffer from heartburn and acidity after a hearty meal, maybe your dessert can help you overcome those symptoms. Make sure that the dessert you have is vanilla ice cream. Have you ever wondered why this flavour was chosen for your heartburn out of the other mouthwatering flavours? This is because vanilla ice cream is just another form of cold milk, which is believed to be an effective natural remedy for acid reflux, which causes nothing but heartburn. In this article I will try to discuss everything related to does Vanilla Ice Cream Help Heartburn.

What Is Heartburn?

It is a burning sensation in the middle of your chest, behind your breastbone. Esophagitis results from stomach acid going up your oesophagus; the tube carries food from your mouth to your stomach. Your mouth or throat may also taste bitter during this condition. Heartburn symptoms may worsen following a meal or while you are lying down.

What causes heartburn?

Heartburn symptoms can occur due to an issue with the lower oesophagal sphincter (LES). It is situated on the left-hand side, slightly below the rib cage and where the oesophagus meets the stomach.

Usually, the LES is responsible for keeping stomach acid right where it belongs in the stomach. The LES is responsible for opening to let food into your stomach or making you belch, then closing again when necessary. By contrast, stomach acid can leak into the oesophagus with an unpleasant burning sensation if the LES opens too often or is not closed tightly enough.

When your LES doesn’t tighten properly, two things usually contribute to the problem. The first is overheating, which overloads your stomach with food. You may also feel too much pressure in your stomach if you are overweight, pregnant, or constipated.

Factors that raise potential risks

Some certain conditions and factors can increase your risk of experiencing heartburn. Here are some of them:

Hiatal hernia: This occurs when the upper part of the stomach penetrates the diaphragm, usually due to weakness.

Pregnancy. Pregnant women often experience heartburn, especially during the third trimester of pregnancy.

Smoking: Smoking hurts the risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The reduction of heartburn symptoms was three times more likely to occur in people who quit or reduced tobacco use.

Being obese: Being obese contributes to GERD, a common condition characterized by heartburn and regurgitation.

Medications. Some medications sometimes exacerbate heartburn, including aspirin, ibuprofen, sedatives, and blood pressure medications.

Is vanilla ice cream good for heartburn?

Lactose and dairy products are high in fat, which makes heartburn worse. Eating high-fat dairy products like cheese can aggravate GERD symptoms, like heartburn. Moreover, it has been discovered that ice cream can inhibit the lower oesophagal sphincter’s function by numbing it.

As you might predict, ice cream isn’t a healthy food, and that includes low-fat and low-sugar versions. If you suffer from severe acid reflux and GERD symptoms, you might want to steer clear of this dessert. It’s very caloric and can cause indigestion.

Approximately 137 calories and little protein are found in just half a cup of vanilla ice cream. No matter how small the serving seems, remember that people usually consume more than the typical serving size in one sitting, meaning calories quickly add up.

Is vanilla ice cream acidic or basic?

Generally, the pH level of ice cream is between 5.82 and 6.62. The pH level varies widely depending on what flavour is used and what other ingredients are used. Despite the pH not being too low, it is acid-forming so that it can aggravate acid reflux symptoms.

Is Ice Cream a Cause of Heartburn? If so, then how?

Several substances and nutrients in ice cream may aggravate heartburn in people prone to it. This makes it inappropriate for a low-acid diet.

Moreover, ice cream lacks nutritional value, so your diet cannot benefit from eating it as it lacks the vitamins and minerals necessary for a balanced diet.

Nevertheless, you don’t need to avoid it altogether. You need to use it moderately.

The majority of ice cream is made from cow’s milk. As dairy is linked to heartburn and other acid reflux symptoms, this can pose a problem.

According to experts, dairy can relax the lower oesophagal sphincter muscles between your oesophagus and stomach.

These muscles keep down your stomach’s contents. You can experience the burning sensation known as heartburn when they’re relaxed due to stomach acid rising.

Symptoms of heartburn

• You experience chest pain when you bend over or lie down.
• Feel a hot, acidic, bitter, or salty sensation at the back of your throat.
• Difficulty in swallowing.
• Coughing.
• Pain behind your breastbone.

For how long does heartburn last?

Different people are affected by heartburn differently. Generally speaking, heartburn symptoms start soon after eating and can last several minutes to several hours.

The underlying cause determines how long you will experience symptoms. How you respond to the first sign depends on the severity of the condition. Heartburn: Foods NOT to eat

Meat: Ground beef, grilled sirloin, chicken nuggets, etc.

Sugary and oily foods: Chocolate, regular corn and potato chips, brownies, doughnuts, fried foods.

Dairy products: Sour cream, milkshake, ice cream, etc.

Do vanilla ice creams cause acid reflux?

It’s not ideal for including ice cream on a stomach-friendly diet since it contains acid-forming properties. Furthermore, it is often very high in fat, making it difficult to digest.

Besides being extremely caloric, this macronutrient raises ‘bad’ cholesterol levels. There are thus several health conditions that could be caused by it, including type 2 diabetes.

What is the best time to see my doctor about heartburn?

Heartburn is an occasionally occurring problem for many people. It is imperative to consult your doctor if you are experiencing heartburn more than once a week or if you experience heartburn that does not improve. Heartburn that does not improve could indicate a more severe condition.

You should consult your physician if you experience the following symptoms:

• Difficulty in swallowing
• Dark or bloody stools
• Insufficiency of breath
• Back and shoulder pain
• Dizziness
• Chest pain while sweating

How does heartburn cause complications?

Occasionally experiencing heartburn isn’t necessarily a cause for concern. Regular heartburn is, however, one of the symptoms of GERD. This condition can be treated with prescription medications or surgery.

The untreated condition of GERD may lead to other health problems, including inflammation of the oesophagus, called esophagitis. Having Barrett’s oesophagus increases the risk of oesophagal cancer by changing the oesophagus lining.

FAQ’s

Conclusion

Having ice cream is a delightful experience; there can be no question. Yet unfortunately, some people complain of heartburn after eating it.

Aside from being high in fat, ice cream also contains sugar, which causes heartburn.

So, you are advised to know the sensitivity of your stomach and what makes it trigger heartburn and accordingly consume foods, especially ice cream. However, all the information regarding ice cream has been provided in the article. Please go through them and enjoy. Here, we conclude Does Vanilla Ice Cream Help Heartburn.