Coconut milk obtained from grated coconut, gives a rich taste and soft texture to dishes. A number of Indonesian dishes such as rendang, gulai, and sayur lodeh are made with coconut milk as the base ingredient. In addition, coconut milk is also often used for various refreshing drinks.
However, it should be noted that consuming large amounts of coconut milk dishes or regularly can potentially affect digestive health, especially related to the increased risk of acid reflux. Coconut milk contains quite high levels of saturated fat. Reported from journals.lww.com, a study published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology shows that consuming high-fat foods can increase the risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
In addition, fatty foods such as coconut milk dishes can slow down gastric emptying, meaning food stays in the stomach longer. This condition increases pressure in the stomach and the possibility of stomach acid rising into the esophagus. Reported from mayoclinic.org, a high-fat diet can worsen GERD symptoms because of this effect.
To prevent this, one way that can be done is to reduce coconut milk dishes. However, if you occasionally want to consume it, there is a trick that can be done so that coconut milk dishes do not cause stomach acid. This trick was once shared by Instagram user @ummubalqishaura through one of the uploaded videos.
Instagram/@ummubalqishaura
According to him, there is one spice that can be mixed into coconut milk dishes so that it does not cause stomach acid to rise. As reported by BrilioFood on Sunday (6/10), the spice in question is lime leaves. The method is to simply add a few lime leaves to coconut milk dishes, such as cooked lodeh. "Lime leaves have anti-inflammatory properties, which can help relieve inflammation in the stomach lining which is often caused by excess stomach acid. This helps prevent pain or burning in the stomach," explained Instagram user @ummubalqishaura.
Instagram/@ummubalqishaura
Lime leaves, which are often used in Indonesian cuisine, not only add aroma and flavor to dishes but are also known to have various health benefits. One of its benefits that attracts attention is its ability to relieve symptoms of acid reflux (GERD). The bioactive content in lime leaves, such as flavonoids and other antioxidant compounds, plays an important role in maintaining a healthy digestive system and reducing inflammation that can trigger acid reflux. Reporting from sciencedirect.com, one of the main mechanisms of lime leaves in relieving acid reflux is its ability to increase the production of protective mucus in the stomach wall. This mucus functions as a protective layer that prevents direct irritation from stomach acid on the stomach lining and esophagus.
Instagram/@ummubalqishaura
In addition, the anti-inflammatory properties of orange leaves help reduce inflammation in the digestive tract, thereby relieving the pain and discomfort often experienced by acid reflux sufferers. A study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology on the sciencedirect.com page, shows that orange leaf extract has significant anti-inflammatory potential, which can support the management of conditions such as GERD.