Is Cabbage Good For Heartburn?

Consuming certain kinds of foods causes heartburn whilst certain other foods act as cures or preventives against the disease. Heartburn is defined as the condition caused due to acid reflux or backing up of stomach acids into the esophagus, largely as the result of certain food or beverage consumption. It is believed that consumption of certain foods causes the lower esophageal sphincter to relax and remain open, which in turn leads to the backing of stomach acids into the esophagus. In order to protect yourself from such problems, it is important to both avoid heartburn triggering foods whilst including those that help prevent such conditions.  

Overview  

Cabbage has always been considered as a gas producing food, leading to bloating and belching in many people. However, despite this fact, cabbage has always been considered as the perfect remedy for heartburn. Interestingly, it is important to note that the cabbage family includes green and red cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts. The high level of vitamins and fiber in cabbage is the reason why it is perfect for digestion. Additionally, this is the reason why it helps prevent heartburn in many cases.  

Common triggers that cause heartburn 

Given that heartburn is caused by acid reflux, it is obvious that food and drinks are the common triggers of this disease. These include foods like chocolate, mint, caffeine, alcohol, spicy food, fatty food, citrus fruits and juices, tomato, pepper, carbonated drinks etc. However, it is also important to remember that consumption of certain foods is not the only reason why you suffer from heartburn. Lack of exercise, heavy drinking, smoking, stress, anxiety, obesity, eating heavy meals, lying down or exercising immediately after meals and certain health disorders etc also give rise to heartburn in most people. 

How does cabbage prevent heartburn? 

It is important to note that cabbage, when eaten fresh or lightly steamed or cooked, is a great way to prevent heartburn. When eaten raw or lightly cooked without any additives, especially fatty additives, cabbage retains most of its vitamins and fiber. Being rich in both, cabbage is actually a great aid for digestion, which in turn ensures that you do not suffer from heartburn or acid reflux. However, when you cook cabbage or add other additives to it, it could cause problems. 

The best way to have cabbage when suffering from heartburn 

When you overcook cabbage or use it in combination with other foods, including spices, it could lead to heartburn as well as bloating or gas problems. This is largely because cabbage loses its nutritional value when you overcook it. Similarly, certain foods when cooked together with cabbage are the reason for heartburn. So, when cooking cabbage, make sure that you do not include any ingredient that will cause heartburn. These include foods like heavy cream sauces, butter, spices, corned beef etc. Similarly, when cabbage soup causes heartburn, it is important to remember that the spices in the soup are causing the problem and not the cabbage. Therefore, it’s best to avoid fatty additives with cabbage, including butter, cream or oil as they may lead to heartburn instead of preventing it.  

Other factors to avoid when suffering from heartburn 

Whilst including cabbage in your diet in the prescribed form will definitely help you control your heartburn, it is not enough. People suffering from heartburn or acid reflux should ideally avoid all foods that trigger such responses in them. In addition, they should ensure that they eat small meals more times in a day. Similarly, they should never sleep or exercise immediately after eating food; rather, they should ensure a proper gap between the two activities. Heavy meals should be avoided at all times, more specifically at night. Stressful activities, tension etc should be controlled through other measures as these are common triggers of heartburn. 

Treatment of heartburn 

It is important to note that avoiding certain foods and including certain others is not enough for treating heartburn. Medicines, either prescribed by a physician or those that are available over-the-counter, should be included as part of your regime to help overcome this problem. It is important to note that where the heartburn is mild, over-the-counter medications as well as home remedies are excellent but where it is severe, it is often advisable to visit a doctor and get proper medications as prescribed. 

So, if you are suffering from heartburn, make sure you include cabbage in the prescribed form in your diet whilst also discussing other preventive and treatment measures with your physician.