Nitrate and nitrosative chemistry within Barrett’s oesophagus during acid reflux
I personally think we are severely mismanaging reflux disease. Despite lack of evidence for too much stomach acid production, we prescribe acid blockers. It’s not that these drugs are not effective for symptomatic improvement, it’s just that they don’t fix the problem, and open a Pandora’s box of problems when you shut down an essential process in human health.
This article supports another little recommended approach for those with reflux–avoidance of nitrate containing foods. Basically, the dietary nitrates make it into the saliva which, when it meets the acidity in the esophagus, creates nitrous acid, which increases risk for esophageal cancer.