Can carrots help with heartburn and how?

Heartburn develops due to the reflux of stomach contents back into the esophagus, which causes a burning sensation in the chest area. If discomfort occurs no more than twice a week and goes away on its own after adjusting the diet, this is considered normal. Severe and persistent heartburn requires urgent diagnosis of the disease that caused the symptom.

Along with conservative therapy, folk methods are widely practiced to alleviate the severity of the condition and prevent its occurrence. At home, carrots are a good remedy for heartburn.

Causes of heartburn

Heartburn manifests itself as a strong burning sensation behind the sternum. In healthy people, it occurs due to alcohol abuse or against the background of dietary errors: overeating, consumption of fatty, fried, spicy, smoked foods, coffee, strong tea.

Worried about heartburn due to poor diet and dry food - all this disrupts the physiological rhythm of gastric secretion. Unpleasant sensations in the chest develop after intense physical activity, constant wearing of compressive belts and corsets.

Most often, heartburn is provoked by gastroenterological diseases, including:

• stomach and duodenal ulcers;
• gastroesophageal reflux;
• esophagitis;
• esophageal erosion;
• gastritis with low acidity;
• stomach cancer;
• Helicobacteriosis (infection of the gastric mucosa by Helicobacter);
• Barrett's syndrome (a pathological condition of the esophagus in which the mucous membrane is lined with columnar epithelium instead of squamous stratified epithelium);
• irritable bowel syndrome;
• Crohn's disease (inflammation of various parts of the gastrointestinal tract);
• esophageal spasm;
• varicose veins of the esophagus;
• hiatal hernia.

Other diseases and conditions of the gastrointestinal tract may also cause an unpleasant sensation behind the chest.: chronic constipation, pancreatitis, cholelithiasis, intestinal ischemia. Heartburn can be a manifestation of infectious, neurological, and cardiovascular pathologies.

Pregnant women often complain of a burning sensation. The fact is that when carrying a child, changes in organs and systems occur in a woman’s body that can affect the aggressiveness of gastric juice and its progression. At the same time heartburn in pregnant women It can also be a consequence of various diseases.

Can carrots cause heartburn?

Eating carrots within normal limits will not cause harm to health. Undesirable effects on the digestive system occur with prolonged and abundant consumption of the vegetable.

The main adverse reactions in this case:

• nausea and vomiting;
• heartburn;
• stomach pain;
• general malaise;
• headache.

How do carrots affect heartburn?

Carrots have a rich chemical composition. Vegetables grown without the use of pesticides contains useful vitamins for the digestive system and the body as a whole:

• beta-carotene (precursor of vitamin A) is a powerful antioxidant, slows down the aging process, normalizes metabolism, increases the protection of mucous membranes, accelerates healing in case of ulcerative-trophic injuries;
• group B - normalize the functions of the digestive system, maintain healthy intestinal microflora, activate gastric secretion and bile secretion;
• C - promotes regeneration, improves the level of body resistance, regulates the metabolism of carbohydrates, amino acids, reduces bad cholesterol;
• E - prevents cell damage, ensures oxygen saturation of tissues, participates in metabolic processes, promotes the absorption of vitamin A;
• H - normalizes microflora, ensures proper functioning of the intestines and stomach, removes excess cholesterol, and participates in many metabolic processes;
• PP - improves microcirculation and blood activity, supports biosynthesis processes, is important for the proper functioning of the digestive system.

Carrots act as a symptomatic remedy for heartburn: reduces the burning sensation behind the sternum, inhibits the inflammatory process, reduces the intensity of pain in the stomach.

The root vegetable has an enveloping effect on the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract: neutralizes the effect of hydrochloric acid, protects the walls of the stomach from the aggressive effects of damaging factors. Carrots increase bile secretion and have a slight laxative effect, which is important for people who experience a burning sensation due to chronic constipation.

Can it be used for heartburn?

This question is first asked to the attending physician. Orange root vegetable has anti-inflammatory, enveloping properties, therefore, has a beneficial effect on the course of heartburn and improves the general condition of the patient. At the same time, there are certain contraindications for eating vegetables, which are important to first identify and exclude.

Do carrots help with heartburn?

The effectiveness of such treatment depends on the causes of heartburn, its severity, and the presence of concomitant diseases., the body's reactions to eating carrots. If discomfort occurs due to diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, neurological and infectious pathologies, then the vegetable is prescribed in combination with the main therapy.

To digest carrots, the body spends a lot of energy and digestive juice. Within 20–30 minutes after consuming it, the acid balance decreases to normal levels, and the manifestations of heartburn weaken or disappear completely.

Fresh root vegetables contain a lot of fiber, which effectively cleanses the intestines of accumulated waste and toxins, which serves as an effective prevention of heartburn and related complications.

Attention! The vegetable does not contain aggressive chemical compounds, the effect of its consumption is cumulative. Carrots not only reduce the intensity of burning, but also slow down the progression of the underlying disease, prevent complications, and accelerate the onset of stable remission.

During pregnancy

The appearance of a burning sensation in the chest during pregnancy is usually associated with hormonal changes..

Already from the 1st trimester, a woman’s progesterone production increases. This hormone reduces the tone of the uterus, ensures pregnancy, but at the same time relaxes the smooth muscles of the stomach and esophagus. As a result, weakened organs are unable to retain acid inside the stomach, juice is thrown into the esophagus, and the pregnant woman suffers from a constant burning sensation.

How does carrots help with heartburn in this case? The root vegetable envelops the walls of the stomach, protecting it from the effects of hydrochloric acid, increases bile secretion, and normalizes metabolism..

Carrots stop the inflammatory process, increase the protection of mucous membranes, and accelerate the healing process, which is especially important if the patient has erosive and ulcerative diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

The vegetable serves as a good alternative to medications: acts gently but effectively, has virtually no contraindications and does not cause adverse reactions.

Read also:

How to take potato juice for heartburn

Can buckwheat cause heartburn and why?

In what form to use

The medicinal properties of carrots depend on the method of heat treatment and preparation.:

1. Juice. It nourishes cells and tissues with enzymes, vitamins, micro- and macroelements, while presenting them in the most accessible form for absorption. The product is usually used as a vitamin, restorative, and tonic. The daily norm for an adult is 200–300 ml per day. Nutritionists recommend taking carrot juice for heartburn on an empty stomach with the addition of a few drops of olive or any other vegetable oil.
2. Raw carrots. It retains all the beneficial properties, but due to the presence of essential oils in the composition, it irritates the gastric mucosa, which results in painful sensations. It is better to eat the vegetable in grated form with sour cream or yogurt, since vitamin A is better absorbed together with fats. The daily norm is 100–200 g.
3. Boiled or stewed carrots. Easily and quickly digested, has lower calorie content. It increases the content of phenols and antioxidants, which resist many diseases. The glycemic index rises to 85 units: when eating a thermally processed vegetable, the level of glucose and insulin in the blood increases sharply.

Recipes

To get rid of heartburn, it is important to choose the right foods. Carrots are not combined with fried foods, fatty varieties of meat and fish, pickles, pickled vegetables, tomatoes, spices, onions and garlic, high-calorie dairy and fermented milk products.

Important! If possible, limit the amount of salt and sugar in your diet.

Products that increase gas formation are prohibited: white cabbage, beans, radishes, raw apples.

Recipe No. 1:

1. One medium-sized carrot is peeled, chopped in a blender or grated.
2. The pulp is transferred to gauze, folded in several layers, and the juice is squeezed out.
3. Add 2 tbsp to it. l. low-fat cream, mix everything. A fresh portion is prepared every time.
4. Drink the remedy until the burning sensation completely stops.

Recipe No. 2:

1. Peel the carrots and finely grate them.
2. Add 1 tbsp. l. low-fat sour cream and 100 g of low-fat cottage cheese, mix.
3. Use daily until the unpleasant symptom is relieved.

Recipe No. 3:

1. Carrots are boiled in their skins. Peel it when it cools, turn it into puree in a blender or mash it with a fork.
2. Add a baked apple and 1 tsp to the mixture. honey
3. Use daily until heartburn stops completely.

Contraindications

Before using carrots for heartburn, it is advisable to identify and eliminate contraindications:

• allergies;
• gastrointestinal diseases in the acute stage;
• diabetes mellitus types 2 and 3;
• liver and kidney failure;
• severe urolithiasis.

With prolonged and heavy consumption of a vegetable or its juice, carotene accumulates in the body, which leads to icteric discoloration of the skin. In this case, carrots are excluded from the diet and medical help is sought.

Conclusion

Carrots for heartburn are an effective remedy if you follow all the rules for its preparation and intake.Thanks to its rich chemical composition, the root vegetable has a positive effect on symptoms: it reduces pain, coats the mucous membrane, eliminates inflammation, and accelerates regeneration.

In order to achieve the desired result and not cause harm to health, all actions are pre-coordinated with a specialist. Heartburn is a multifactorial condition, and treatment of the underlying disease requires an integrated approach.