Skip to main content

Acid Reflux Diet: Foods to Eat and Foods to Avoid

< Back to the article list

If acid indigestion occasionally gets you down, you’re not alone. Cases of acid reflux seem to have increased over the past two decades, as a report published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology found. In fact, more than 60 million Americans experience heartburn and acid reflux symptoms at least once a month, and 15 million every day, according to the American College of Gastroenterology (ACOG).

While there’s no magic bullet or single diet that can completely eliminate acid reflux, there are a number of foods that can help reduce your risk of experiencing acid reflux. By choosing to eat these specific foods and avoiding known trigger foods, you can basically create your own acid reflux diet!

Read on to find the best foods to eat, along with certain trigger foods to skip. And for those moments when you can’t (or forget to) monitor your diet as closely as you’d like, make sure you have TUMS Chewy Bites Cooling Sensation on hand for fast heartburn relief in a tasty, cooling chew.

Foods to Eat on an Acid Reflux Diet

  • Milk-based products: Opt for low-fat or dairy alternatives like soy milk products.
  • Noncitrus fruits: Apples, bananas, blueberries, and strawberries are safe bets.
  • Lean chicken and meat: Order or cook it grilled instead of fried.
  • Plain breads and cereals: Skip overly processed carbs with high-fat ingredients like muffins and croissants.
  • Fresh or frozen vegetables: Avoid any veggies that are prepared in super creamy sauces or fried.
  • Low-fat desserts: Sponge cake and angel food cake are two great fluffy alternatives, as are low-fat ice cream and fruit-based desserts.

Foods to Skip on an Acid Reflux Diet

  • Fried foods: French fries, fatty meat like hamburgers, fried chicken, etc.
  • Spicy foods: If it makes you want to reach for a drink to cool down, it’s probably going to cause heartburn!
  • Caffeine and alcohol: These can be hard to avoid, but are technically considered triggers.
  • Citrus fruits: Oranges, lemons, limes, pineapples, and grapefruit are the biggest acid reflux culprits.
  • Tomato products: This includes tomato sauce and any creamy sauces with a tomato base.
  • Chocolate: Sad, but true!
  • Peppermint: This includes peppermint-flavored candy.
  • Garlic and onions: If you find yourself dealing with heartburn at home, try avoiding these delicious (but triggering) common ingredients.

In addition to making sure you follow a safe acid reflux diet, the ACOG said that maintaining a healthy weight, not eating two to three hours before going to sleep, and quitting smoking are all healthy lifestyle changes that will reduce and may help eliminate acid reflux for good!

Related articles