Cheers! Alcohol Options with Reflux

Alcohol is a common trigger for acid reflux.

We have talked about how both alcohol and carbonated beverages can be a trigger for individuals experiencing gastrointestinal discomfort and reflux due to either an increase in acidity, decrease in lower esophageal pressure, or increased abdominal pressure from the carbonation in certain beverages. But it does not apply to everyone. It is all about knowing your personal triggers. 

Here are some tips to consider when making your next beverage decisions:

Know Your Limits: Moderate alcohol intake has been associated with some health benefits. What exactly is moderate alcohol intake? Recommendations have been made because alcohol consumption beyond these recommendations have been associated with adverse health outcomes, especially if more than 3 alcoholic beverages are consumed in one day or more than 7 alcoholic beverages are consumed in one week for women and for men over the age of 65 and more than 14 beverages in one week for men under the age of 65.

• Women: 1 alcoholic beverage per day; Men: 2 alcoholic beverages per day
• An alcoholic beverage serving:
• 12 fluid ounces of beer
• 5 fluid ounces of wine
• 1.5 fluid ounces of distilled spirits (80 proof)

Non-Alcoholic Options:

This is always a bit of a social hot button for people and I have been there. I can’t tell you how many times I have been around other people who are drinking and if I was not, the question was always “are you pregnant?”. All I can suggest is if a person chooses not to drink alcohol at a party, how about we not make this a thing to point it out? But, I personally do enjoy alcohol on occasion and am quite particular about my taste. For the purposes of this article, I decided to try a  zero-alcohol product for an absolutely honest review. 

Before my mother-in-law passed away from Lewy-body dementia, there came a point when she wanted a daily glass of chardonnay but the alcohol in regular wine was not in her best interest. So, we found a company that made an alcohol-free chardonnay: St. Regis. I decided to try it myself and right off the bat, it smells like a legit chardonnay. The breath and mouthfeel of the non-alcoholic wine fits the wine experience perfectly. The only thing you do not have is the afterburn from the alcohol post-swallowing. I’m honestly impressed and wish I would have found this before the Covid 2020 quarantine. 

Alcoholic Beverage Breakdown: 

There are some alcoholic beverage choices that may be more irritating to acid reflux and GERD sufferers because of the additional irritants in the ingredients they are made with. For example, if you have cocktails that are made with a citrus base (orange juice-screwdrivers; margaritas or daiquiris) or contain peppermint, chocolate, or coffee (mudslides, peppermint martinis, white and black russians) -they could be extra triggering to symptoms. 

If you are looking for a lower pH liquor, gin, tequila, and non-grain vodkas (like potato vodka) will be the easiest on the stomach. Wine is more acidic than beer and the sweeter the wine, the more acidic the wine. And as always, don’t forget to hydrate in between alcoholic beverages to ward off those dreaded hangovers!

Some delicious decaffeinated tea options that are truly out of this world:

True Honey Tea Bags With Honey Granules, 24 Count (Lavender Lemonade)

True Honey Tea Bags With Real Honey Granules, 24 Count (Rooibos)