Fast Food Without Heartburn

By Eric Butterman

It may come as no surprise that fast food is not your friend, especially if you suffer from heartburn. The best way to avoid the pain is to take a pass on the Golden Arches. But sometimes, family and friends -- or your own cravings -- don’t cooperate. When that happens, consider the following advice to keep heartburn at bay:

De-guilt
The first step is to “de-guilt” what you love to limit the damage. Fat is one of the biggest heartburn no-no’s. This is because high-fat foods tend to sit in the stomach the longest, increasing the likelihood that they will back up and cause heartburn. But “just because a burger comes with an excess of grease doesn’t mean it has to stay that way,” says Philip Goglia, nutritionist and author of Turn Up The Heat. “You can take the meat out and wipe it with a napkin to at least get some of it off.” The same advice applies to “crispy” (aka fried) chicken and fish sandwiches or nuggets. And if tomatoes -- another common heartburn trigger -- give you trouble, consider skipping the ketchup and tomato slices when building that juicy burger.

Deny
Yes, you love them, but the superhigh fat content of fries makes them one of the worst fast food offenders. You have to choose your battles if you’re going to binge at all, so pass on the french fries to pass on a higher-percentage chance at heartburn.

Decaffeinate
While caffeine doesn’t bother all heartburn sufferers, if it does bother you, go with a caffeine-free beverage instead. This means skipping coffee, tea and most colas. Be aware that some non-cola soft drinks, like Mountain Dew and some orange sodas, can contain caffeine as well.

Debate

Fast food restaurants cater to overeating, which is a major factor in heartburn, says Goglia. So ask yourself if you’re ordering more than you need to feel satisfied, and resist magic words such as “double” and “triple” unless you want that to describe the pain you will feel in relation to your normal heartburn. Then eat slowly to give your body a chance to tell you when you’re full. Or if you’re one of those “waste not, want not” people, share with someone who doesn’t get heartburn -- or mind love handles.

Eric Butterman has written health articles for more than 20 publications, including Glamour, Men’s Fitness and Shape.

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