Is Green Tea Good for Acid Reflux? What causes acid reflux with green tea?

If you have acid reflux, traditional black tea is on the list of things to avoid.You may still wonder if there is a relationship between green tea and acid reflux, since it is less acidic than black tea.

Acid reflux occurs when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus, causing symptoms such as sore throat, stomach pain, and a sour taste in the mouth.

If you understand how green tea might affect your symptoms, you can decide whether to keep it in your diet.

While green tea is lower in acid than some teas, bottled green teas often contain ingredients that can make your symptoms worse.

Black and green tea are made from the same leaf and both contain a family of stimulants.

According to an August 2012 article published in the American Journal of Physiology - Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology, the "lift" people get from coffee and tea is due to the presence of methylxanthines.

The LES is a band of muscles that helps keep stomach acid from splashing up into the esophagus.

Theobromine and theophylline are found in green tea, but it has less caffeine than coffee and black tea.Green tea may cause the LES to loosen.

According to a Medicine article published in January, there is no evidence of a relationship between tea and acid reflux.

Green tea and other tea made from the Camellia sinensis leaf can be bad for reflux.Acidic beverages can cause irritation to the esophageal lining if it is already irritated from acid reflux.

Green tea that comes in a bottle is a different matter.According to an article published in the Korean Journal of Physiology & Pharmacology, most bottled green teas are fortified with ascorbic acid, which can increase symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders.Some bottled teas are more acidic because of the juices in them.

Green tea has a mild flavor and health benefits.Mint and yerba mate are two herbs that are often combined with green tea and should be avoided by anyone with acid reflux.

According to the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, mint tea has many properties that aid digestion, but it is also high in methylxanthines, which can relax the LES and allow stomach acids to leak through.yerba mate has the same amount of caffeine as well.