Foods to consider for an acid reflux diet

Foods to consider for an acid reflux diet

This is general advice if you want to follow an acid reflux diet. When following an acid reflux diet, it is not recommended to eat large meals and eat close to bedtime. You should also avoid fatty and/or spicy foods. All of these habits can lead to increased production of stomach acid, which can enter the esophagus and damage it. This is especially true if the closing muscles are not functioning as desired. The result is that you have constant heartburn.

There are many foods to consider when talking about an acid reflux diet. There are foods that should be avoided, foods that can be consumed in moderation, and foods that can definitely be had. The first section of the acid reflux diet looks at the foods to avoid:

Fruit – lemon, orange juice, lemonade, cranberry juice, tomato and grapefruit juice

Vegetables – mashed potatoes, raw onions and French fries

Meat – ground beef or chuck, chicken nuggets, marbled sirloin, buffalo wings

Dairy products – milkshake, sour cream, ice cream and regular cottage cheese

Cereal – Spaghetti with sauce and macaroni and cheese

Beverages – Wine, liquor, all coffee, whether decaffeinated or regular, all tea, whether decaffeinated or regular

Fats/oils – creamy salad dressings, oil and vinegar salad dressing

Sweets/Desserts – Chocolate, shortbread cookies, high-fat brownies, donuts, fried potato chips, and corn chips

The next list of foods are considered safe foods to eat when following an acid reflux diet:

Fruit – fresh apple, dried apple, banana, apple juice, pineapple, papaya (these help neutralize stomach acid)

Vegetables – carrots, baked potatoes, broccoli, cabbage, peas, green beans

Meat – extra lean ground beef, skinless chicken breast, London broil steak, fat-free fish, egg whites, egg substitute

Dairy products – feta or goat cheese, fat-free sour cream, fat-free cream cheese, low-fat soy cheese

Grains – cornbread, multigrain or white bread, graham crackers, bran or oatmeal, pretzels, brown or white rice, rice cakes

Drinks – mineral water

Fats/oils – low-fat salad dressings

Sweets/Desserts – fat-free cookies, red licorice, gummy bears, baked potato chips

The following foods should be consumed in moderation when following an acid reflux diet:

Fruit – low acid orange juice, peach, apple cider, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, dried cranberries, grapes

Vegetables – onion that is cooked, garlic, leek, spring onions, sauerkraut

Meat – lean ground beef, scrambled eggs in butter, chicken salad, fried eggs, tuna salad, fried fish, beef or pork hot dogs, ham

Dairy products – yogurt, frozen yogurt, 2% or skim milk, low-fat cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese

Cereals – granola, garlic bread, muffin

Drinks – Non-alcoholic wine, non-alcoholic beer, cola, beer, root beer

Fats / oils – ketchup

Sweets/Desserts – low fat biscuit

This is by no means a comprehensive list of foods you can consume and avoid on an acid reflux diet, but it is a start. If you find that your reflux disease is somewhat under control, you may want to slowly add a food from the banned list to see how you react to it. If it makes your acid reflux worse, then you know you should avoid that food forever.

Inspired by Lee Dobbins