Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, is a condition where stomach acid rises up from the stomach into the esophagus or even into the mouth. I used to eat lots of acid reflux trigger foods like chocolate, ketchup, and citrus fruits. One time I woke up in the middle of the night feeling like I was choking on stomach acid. Ketchup and citrus fruits are acidic and chocolate relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter, triggering acid reflux. I’m writing this post to remind myself to not go overboard on the chocolate.
References:
Chocolate and heartburn: evidence of increased esophageal acid exposure after chocolate ingestion. (Link)
The adverse effect of chocolate on lower esophageal sphincter pressure. (Link)
