Alcoholic drinks are known as a common trigger of acid reflux symptoms. You may experience acid reflux symptoms like chronic heartburn after alcohol consumption if you suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
However, not all alcoholic beverages are the same, and you may experience less severe side effects when you drink some of these beverages. This article covers the best alcohol for acid reflux.
Table of Contents
Best Alcohol For Acid Reflux
Some of the alcoholic drinks that do not trigger extreme acid reflux symptoms in GERD patients include:
Non-Grain Vodka
Non-grain vodka is considered one of the safest alcoholic beverages for acid reflux sufferers. With a pH level of around 6 to 7, it is one of the least acidic alcohols you can consume, and it does not have high sugar content like many alcoholic beverages.
However, the best way to enjoy your non-grain vodka is to drink it without adding citrus fruit juices like orange juice. They are acidic fruit juices and only add to the amount of acid your digestive system has to handle.
You should also avoid adding tonic water because it only accelerates acid production in your stomach.
If you need to add fruit juices to your non-grain vodka, apple and cranberry juices are better choices because they do not worsen acid reflux symptoms.
Read also: Home Remedies For Heartburn: 20 Fast Ways To Get Rid Of Acid Reflux
Tequila And Mezcal
Tequila is full of flavor, but it is sugar-free and one of the alcoholic drinks that do not lead to many acid refluxes triggers. It has a pH level of around 3.5 to 4.9, making it one of the least acidic alcohols and a perfect drink you can take after a heavy meal.
However, you may have to stop drinking margaritas because lime juice and orange juice will only worsen your GERD symptoms.
Mezcal is another alcoholic drink you can consume if you want to avoid any symptoms of acid reflux. It has a smoky taste but is as safe as tequila for acid reflux sufferers.
Read also: Is Grape Juice Good For Acid Reflux?
Gin
Gin is considered one of the best alcohol for acid reflux. With a pH of around 7.4, it has low acidity, and this should give you more reasons to make gin your best alcoholic drink if you suffer from acid reflux symptoms.
Drinking gin with a meal is a good choice, and if you want to drink gin before your meal, you should drink it with warm water and not other alcoholic beverages. You should also avoid the classic gin cocktail if you do not want to experience symptoms of acid reflux.
Whiskey
Whiskey has a pH of around 3.68 to 4.78 and does not do much to worsen acid reflux symptoms. Like vodka, it is a distilled spirit and does not contain much sugar.
However, whiskey should be drunk in moderation because large quantities of whiskey may trigger acid reflux reactions.
Also, individual symptoms will dictate if whiskey is good for acid reflux as the risk factor in different acid reflux patients differs according to the type of whiskey.
Light Beers
The best alcoholic drinks for acid reflux are spirits like vodka, gin, and tequila. For people who love beers, light beers are the best beers to drink to avoid GERD symptoms as they tend to have fewer calories and carbs than other beers.
Like other alcoholic drinks, you should avoid consuming light beers in large quantities.
Read also: Does Pumpkin Cause Acid Reflux?
Is Alcohol Good For Acid Reflux?
There is no definite answer to this question, as it depends on the type of alcohol and the amount of alcohol content you consume. Not all types of alcohol are too harmful, but you risk experiencing symptoms of GERD when you consume alcoholic drinks in large quantities.
GERD symptoms occur when stomach acid flows back up the esophagus and spills into the throat, causing symptoms of acid reflux, like chest pain and a burning sensation in the chest. The lower esophageal sphincter prevents stomach contents from flowing backward but can become weak if you consume acidic foods or alcohol with high acidity.
Alcohol is known to stimulate gastric acid secretion, but the lower the acidity level of the alcohol you consume, the less the risk of acid reflux symptoms. Quitting alcohol altogether is medical advice you should consider because the effect of alcohol differs in GERD sufferers.
Read also: Is Cold Brew Better For Acid Reflux? (Solved)
How To Drink Alcohol With Acid Reflux
It’s not recommended to drink alcohol when suffering from acid reflux/GERD. But if you decide that you want to, there are some things you can do to lower the risk of getting acid reflux.
- Don’t drink too much. Drinking alcohol in large volumes increases the risk of acid reflux. So try to take it easy to avoid any flare-ups.
- Make sure you drink plenty of water. Staying hydrated is essential when drinking alcohol with acid reflux since dehydration can worsen symptoms. Try always to have a glass of water on your side and drink from it to avoid dehydration.
- Avoid doing drinks with acidic ingredients or carbonated mixtures. These can both increase the risk of getting acid reflux.
- Avoid eating any late-night snacks. It can be tempting to eat a lot of things after drinking alcohol. But try to avoid doing that since it will also increase the risk of acid reflux.
Best Alcohol For Acid Reflux Summary
Alcoholic drinks can cause acid reflux symptoms, but drinks like non-grain vodka, tequila, and gin cause fewer problems for GERD patients.
Though these alcoholic drinks are the best for acid reflux sufferers, you should take them in moderation and avoid mixing them with others that have high acidity.
You should also slowly sip your alcoholic drinks to let your body process them properly.
You should ask your healthcare provider for proton pump inhibitors if you get frequent heartburn despite taking these alcoholic drinks properly.
