Oatmeal and Heartburn: Why It May Trigger Symptoms
Heartburn is a common symptom of gastrointestinal reflux (GER) or indigestion, and it affects more than 60 million Americans at least once per month. Some research even suggests that more than 15 million Americans experience heartburn symptoms every day.
Spicy foods, acidic foods, alcohol, and caffeinated beverages can all worsen heartburn symptoms. Those symptoms might include burning in your chest after eating, a bitter taste in your mouth, or pain that worsens when you lie down or bend over.
Though experts do not typically associate oatmeal with acid reflux symptoms, you may still have uncomfortable or heartburn-like symptoms after eating it. Read on to find out why and what to do about it.
Oatmeal and Acid Reflux
Plain oatmeal is not generally associated with acid reflux, meaning it isn’t likely to trigger symptoms for most people. In fact, experts typically suggest oatmeal as a food that may help you manage indigestion symptoms, thanks to its filling fiber and ability to absorb stomach acid.
While experts aren’t entirely sure how fiber works to reduce GER symptoms, aside from helping you eat less by keeping you fuller longer, studies have shown that increased fiber intake does result in fewer heartburn symptoms.
Keep in mind that the recommended dietary guidelines for acid reflux are just that — guidelines. They don’t anticipate every food that might trigger heartburn for you, since your body and its reactions are highly individualized. One person may enjoy oatmeal without issue, while another person enjoying the same meal may experience acid reflux symptoms.
“Heartburn can be the result of a variety of issues,” explains Rajsree Nambudripad, MD, an internal medicine doctor at St. Jude Medical Center and founder of OC Integrative Medicine, who’s located in Fullerton, California. “Sometimes it is an allergy or sensitivity to a food. The food does not agree with you, so it comes back up after eating.”
In the case of oatmeal, heartburn may be more likely to be related to the toppings and mix-ins you use rather than the oats themselves.
Other Heartburn Causes
Because oats are not likely to cause heartburn on their own, you might want to consider the toppings or mix-ins that you’re adding to your oatmeal.
Citrus fruits, for example, can cause or worsen heartburn symptoms due to their acidity. So, if you’re mixing grapefruit or oranges into your oatmeal, they could trigger acid reflux.
Plus, toppings like chocolate or mint may relax your relax esophageal sphincter muscle, allowing stomach juices to flow back up into your esophagus. This backflow can result in heartburn.
And high-fat foods, such as the whole milk or butter that you might swirl into your bowl of oats, may increase stomach acid and take longer to digest, which might allow more acid to make its way back up your throat.
Sweeteners such as sugar may also play a role in GER symptoms. In a small controlled diet intervention trial, researchers found that when participants lowered their intake of simple sugars, it led to significant reductions in heartburn frequency and severity, including an acidic taste in the mouth and a lump in the throat.
If sugar on your oatmeal is causing heartburn symptoms, you could try flavoring your oats with cinnamon powder instead.
“You can actually reduce the amount of sweetening needed in your oatmeal by adding cinnamon. Cinnamon is typically well tolerated and makes things seem sweeter without adding any sugar,” Dr. Nambudripad says.
If you’ve adjusted your oatmeal toppings and still experience heartburn, look beyond your bowl.
Citrus fruit juices, such as orange juice or even fresh lemon juice added to water, can trigger acid reflux. So can caffeinated beverages like coffee or tea.
Likewise, eating too much or too quickly can bring on heartburn, as can stress, wearing tight clothes, or lying down too soon after mealtime.
One way to find out which foods you tolerate well is to keep a journal that details what you eat and how you feel afterward. You can also talk with your primary care physician or a nutritionist, who can help you create a plan for determining the cause of your GER symptoms.
Oatmeal Preparation Suggestions
Next time you make oatmeal, try to take steps to reduce the risk of your breakfast triggering heartburn symptoms.
For instance, you can change the texture of the oatmeal to help you avoid the need for mix-ins like butter or toppings like chocolate chips or citrus fruits. Some alternate prep methods might include making overnight oats the day before or baking your oatmeal in the oven.
And avoid making too much oatmeal. Portion control is important for preventing acid reflux symptoms, says Nambudripad. This goes for all foods, not just oatmeal.
“The smaller the portion of food you eat, the easier it is for your stomach and intestines to break it down and digest it quickly, so that it won’t have a chance to come back up and cause heartburn,” she says. “If you overstuff yourself, there is a high likelihood of causing reflux.”
Experts recommend a standard portion size of half a cup of cooked oatmeal.
The Takeaway
While plain oatmeal rarely results in heartburn — and is, in fact, recommended as part of a low-reflux diet — it could still trigger symptoms in some people.
Often, the cause is not the oatmeal itself but rather certain toppings that are added to it, like citrus fruits. Similarly, high-fat mix-ins like whole milk or butter can lead to acid backflow in your throat.
Consider adjusting your toppings to more GER-friendly ones, or perhaps try a new preparation method so that you don’t need to rely on toppings at all.
