Are Mangoes Good For Acid Reflux?

If there’s one thing that can actually get a person to stop overeating, it would be acid reflux. Because the sensation of gastric acid and bile rising through one’s throat is unpleasant enough to stop gulping down burgers or whatever; we could use acid reflux as something of a détente.

Eat too much, and we’ll initiate acid reflux that will make you regret being born. If that isn’t an accurate depiction of acid reflux and how much of a predicament it becomes, we don’t know what else is. One of the fruits that come up regularly while discussing acid reflux are mangoes, and so we look into some common questions like are mangoes good for acid reflux, is mango acidic and whether mangoes are good for heartburn.

Whether mango and acid reflux are a thing that should be made common enough, like Pepto-Bismol and an upset stomach.

For Those Who Don’t Know What Acid Reflux Is

But first, let us discuss what acid reflux actually is. As the name suggests, acid reflux is the name given to a condition when the gastric sphincter (on the entrance of the stomach and the end of the oesophagus) fails to close after food has been ingested, leading for the acidic mixture to start rising from the stomach and into the food canal.

While this process is scientifically known as reverse peristalsis, peristalsis can actually induce vomiting, whereas with acid reflux, the contents of the stomach usually don’t go above a certain level. Two things to keep in mind regarding acid reflux: it can also happen if you consume too much of a specific food type (acidic, spicy etc) and a state of constant acid reflux will eventually wear out both the sphincter and the lower wall lining of the oesophagus.

Do Mangoes And Acid Reflux Cancel Each Other Out?

The simple answer would be: not exactly. See, if you know even a little bit about chemistry, you know that to cancel something acidic, you need to put in something that is alkaline or basic. These opposing substances cancel the effects of each other.

So, in theory, you’d want fruits that are alkaline to cancel out the acidic effect of the well, acid solution that’s trying to rise, like a mummy back from the dead.  No beating about the bush. Mangoes aren’t as effective as some other fruits or an alkaline solution, but they are useful for stomach problems other than acid reflux.

Because mangoes are mildly acidic, they won’t worsen the already-hellish situation, but they aren’t as effective as other fruits might be, or some other stuff like antacids and whatnot. And a big part of that reason is because of its mild acidity, which has been discussed below.

How Mildly Acidic Are We Talking Here?

On a pH scale, mangoes don’t go over 6.0, usually, which, if you know your pH scales and chemistry, is the least worrying acidity out there. Stomach acid, which the stomach itself secretes (also called gastric juice, totally not potable), has pH that ranges from 1 to 3, and this is an acid that breaks down hard meats and stuff like that, so, on this scale, you can pretty much imagine that mangoes aren’t really acidic. They certainly are not going to cause acidity on their own, at least.

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The pH scale works something like this: on a scale from 0 to 14, you’ve got the acids that go from 0 to 6, 7 is neutral (or basic), and 8 onwards (up to 14) are alkaline. These three make up the pH scale, and mangoes stand at a solid 6, so now you know; its not going to any damage to the stomach, and nor to whatever is causing the acid reflux.

Then Mangoes Are Acidic?

Yes, but not so much that they will erode the walls of the oesophagus. Acids are pretty sharp; as mentioned beforehand, it can dissolve meat and since the oesophagus is basically meat (cells that form muscles), the acidity you feel is the activated acid reacting with your oesophagus cell lining. Which makes it such an unpleasant experience in the first place.

Yes, mangoes are acidic, but since their pH is 6, they are only mildly acidic, and pose no problem and no substantial benefit either when it comes to acid reflux.

Mangoes And Gastritis

Gastritis is a condition wherein inflammation of the stomach lining can result in a myriad of other problems or complications. Used as an umbrella term, gastritis entails in it a wide variety of issues all of which have the inflammation of the stomach lining as a common symptom.

So, while gastritis might differ from case to case and person to person, it usually entails the inflammation of the stomach lining, and is therefore treated with a small group of medication that helps with the pain or any other symptoms of the issue.

So, where do mangoes come into play with this? For starters, mangoes, as we’ve already discussed beforehand, are not very acidic, considering their pH ranges from 4-6, which, if you know your pH scales, is acidic but not enough to seriously mess something up.

Now, gastritis refers to the inflammation of the stomach wall, and in that case, you might require something that could cool down the situation (literally). Usually, what people do, is drink some cold juice (preferably non-acidic) or eat yoghurt, as not only does it help in digestion, but it also helps cool down the inflamed part of the stomach. 

So, in theory, you could go for mangoes and, they could help with the gastritis. However, bear in mind that this will only provide a cooling effect to the inflamed place; there are no medical uses for it. Secondly, the mango will obviously need to be chilled, which is a given considering that in the cases of inflammation, cold things are usually preferred, and this case is not different. 

Mango- Nutritional Information

For 100 grams of serving, you get,

• 60 calories
• 0.4 grams of fat
• 1 mg of sodium
• 168 mgs of potassium
• 15 grams of carbohydrates
• 14 grams of sugar
• 0.8 grams of protein

Following is the mineral/ vitamin chart for the same amount of mango, calculated as per the daily adult requirements.

• 60 per cent of Vitamin C
• 5 per cent of Vitamin B6
• 2 per cent of Magnesium
• 1 per cent of both iron and calcium

These is the nutritional information for a normal serving of the fruit. As explained beforehand, while fruits is general are healthy enough, and mangoes are very good for digestion, there’s not much use for them when it comes to both acid reflux and gastritis, which is, for the most part, due to the fact that mangoes are slightly acidic, and since acid reflux needs either an alkaline solution or basic solution to counteract the negative effects, mangoes or anything slightly acidic is not going to make the situation any easier or any worse.

Same goes for mangoes and gastritis. Gastritis is the inflammation of the stomach wall lining; and since this could be due to both internal and external factors, there are numerous ways of solving this issue; fruits are usually only helpful if they are loaded with fibres and vitamins. Mangoes do have fibre, but it is less in quantity as compared to some other fruits, which are much more helpful for digestion, the stomach and are subsequently used for issues like gastritis. 

A good way to deal with the effects of gastritis would be consumption of light semi-solids and fluids; things that won’t put the already ailing stomach under duress. Considering the theme of this article is mangoes and the fruit’s relationship with the digestive system, you could theoretically go for mango-flavoured yoghurt; that would be the best of both worlds in this case.

In a Nutshell,

If somebody was to ask us if mangoes are good for acid reflux, and told us that the answer needed to be in one word, we’d go with ‘No’. And while whatever may have been stated beforehand throughout the length of this article may seem counterintuitive now, the logic is sound.

Acid reflux is a condition where the person does not look for a middle ground; you don’t want bile rising up to your throat, leaving a burning sensation throughout the upper G.I. tract in the first place. And when you’re offered a solution to it, surely, you’ll go for the sure-fire way of correcting that, not something that is the metaphorical yellow light when it comes to doing away with acid reflux. Using that analogy, no, mangoes are not suitable and/ or recommended for acid reflux,

since they themselves are slightly acidic, and for you to stop that acidity, a base or alkaloid is needed. And since mangoes fall into neither category, we’d suggest you to stop being so pedantic over mangoes and just take an antacid and cut the suffering. Really, that’s the most helpful thing you can suggest to a person who has stomach acid (highly potent, a pH of 1.5 to 3) and bile rising through their throats.

How Not to Suffer From Acid Reflux?

Well, if we follow the philosophy of prevention is better than cure, a good majority of people would need to change their lifestyle and eating habits, because acid reflux is based a lot on the way they eat and spend their day. 

Let’s start with how to prevent acid reflux. So you know how many people say the change starts with your diet? Well, they’re not wrong. For starters, eating spicy foods, or foods with high acidic content will eventually result in the person suffering from acid reflux, because there is an extent to which the stomach can deal with all that acid (considering it secretes its own as well).

Plus spicy and acidic foods are more likely to damage the stomach walls and the sphincter all by themselves, long-term occurrence of which will lead to you suffering from acid reflux. Another really important factor in controlling acid reflux is your lifestyle. You will not see a professional athlete complaining about acid reflux (except for on their day off or their cheat days) or a really healthy person complaining of such.

That is because exercise helps with food digestion, and expedites the whole digestion process. So, if your lifestyle alludes more to the sedentary one, you will experience acid reflux at some point, since the stomach will have to do all the work on its own, and if you eat more as well, the acid reflux situation will just deteriorate even more.

So, eat light, eat healthy and exercise regularly and you won’t have any problems with acid reflux anymore. 

The Worst Foods For Acid Reflux

As the name suggests, acid reflux is when the acidic solution (or the acidic mixture) in your stomach gets pushed upwards towards the upper G.I tract via a process called reverse peristalsis. In this situation, of course, the foods to avoid would be the ones with oily or acidic content; for instance, deep-fried food, spicy food or foods with higher acidic content. Because of course, if you’re trying to avoid something that is acidic, you wouldn’t do so by gulping down something more acidic. That would only serve to worsen the situation even more.

As for why oily and spicy foods are to be avoided as well, well, there is a simple reason for that as well. For oily foods, more bile and more acid is required to break down the oil into simple fats for digestion, and it would not be wise to tax anymore an already overworked organ in distress. Spicy foods should also be avoided; spices are hot and can cause the body temperature to rise up. This, coupled with the fact that you already have a hot mixture in your throat, its not going to make your day any better.

The Best Foods For Acid Reflux

The best foods would not actually be foods, but rather, liquids or tablets are usually prescribed for quick relief. There is also a long-term solution, but that is for preventing any future episodes of acid reflux. Dealing with the situation then and there is of paramount importance, so the best food you could eat for acid reflux would be yoghurt, as its bacterial culture and cool texture and aftertaste will help tone down the burning sensation in your throat, plus it will also neutralise the acid in your stomach. Go with low-acidity fruits, antacids or any other basic or alkaline solutions for that.

Some Quick Questions, Answered

List of commonly asked questions and answers on a are mangoes good for acid reflux