The Best Foods to Reduce Acid Reflux

Nothing will ruin the pleasure of a good meal like the searing discomfort of acid reflux. When your stomach acid refuses to stay where it belongs and decides to move up into your esophagus and throat, you’re in for a rough few hours (or, if you have a chronic form of acid reflux like GERD, you could be faced with a much longer period of pain).

Most of us who have suffered from acid reflux know to avoid highly acidic foods like tomatoes and citrus fruits, high-fat foods like processed cold cuts and fatty steaks, and fried foods in general. But there are also foods that can be incorporated In your diet to help ward off the worst symptoms of acid reflux.

“Foods recommended as better tolerated by people with acid reflux are generally low in fat, less acidic and high in fiber. Smaller portions may also be indicated, as large meals can worsen reflux symptoms,” explained Luciana Soares, registered dietitian nutritionist and chair of the department of nutritional dietetics at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island.

When it comes to specific foods, we asked health professionals to suggest items that can help reduce the risk of acid reflux, and they recommended these six snacks, meals, and drinks.

The healthcare professionals we surveyed overwhelmingly agreed on one food as the GOAT for acid reflux prevention: good old-fashioned oatmeal.

“Oatmeal is (the food) I suggest people try first because it’s filling without being high in fat and it doesn’t have the acidity that surprises people with a citrus or tomato breakfast,” said Anna Evans, a Texas-based family nurse practitioner and founder of Interlinked Wellness.

Dr. Ekta Gupta, chief of the division of gastroenterology at the University of Maryland Medical Center Midtown Campus and associate professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, said oatmeal is “rich in soluble fiber, so it’s a gentler start to the day than breakfast or fatty pastries.” She also points out that “there is a myth that oatmeal ‘absorbs’ stomach acid. This is not the case.” Instead, she advises patients to remember that the goal of preventing acid reflux “isn’t to neutralize the acid, it’s about not causing it in the first place. Fiber also keeps digestion moving,” and because “constipation can indirectly make reflux worse by adding pressure in the abdomen,” it’s important to keep digestion as smooth as possible.

Bone broth had a big trending era in the 2010s, and when you consider the health benefits of this tasty and soothing hot drink, it’s easy to see why. Daryl Gioffre, a Los Angeles and Florida-based chiropractor, certified nutritionist and author of “Get Off Your Acid,” also considers bone broth a smart dietary supplement to prevent acid reflux.

“It’s warm, soothing and easy to digest, providing nourishment without the heaviness of a large meal,” Gioffre told HuffPost. He urges readers to “choose a clean (and) low-fat bone broth, especially if high-fat foods trigger your reflux.” Other helpful properties of bone broth include the fact that it is “rich in gut-supporting amino acids like glycine, proline, and glutamine, which help soothe and strengthen the intestinal lining and support a healthy intestinal barrier.”

Another wellness enthusiast favorite with real benefits for those suffering from acid reflux? “Green juice” made from leafy vegetables rich in water.

Gioffre particularly recommended “a low-acid green juice with cucumber, celery and spinach” – and avoids acidic additions like lemon and apple. He was particularly critical of these vegetables because they are “mineral-rich greens that are an excellent source of magnesium, a mineral that many people do not get enough of and which supports normal muscle and nerve function throughout the digestive tract, including the muscles involved in keeping stomach contents in their place.”

One caveat to Gioffre’s green juice suggestion concerns the acid content. Gioffre advised avoiding popular, acidic green juice supplements like citrus juice, as the highly acidic ingredients can stoke acid reflux symptoms.

Ginger is well-known as a soothing ingredient for those suffering from tummy issues, and Kristen Reed, a Boston-based nurse, told us these benefits extend to acid reflux. “I recommend ginger because it is powerful and can greatly improve acid reflux. It is a powerful anti-inflammatory, which can help relieve inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract,” Reed explained. She also mentioned that ginger “can help with gastric emptying to decrease the amount of food left in the stomach and digestion, as well as calming the esophagus and intestine.”

When it comes to the best way to ingest ginger for acid reflux relief, Reed suggested “ginger tea (or) powdered or grated ginger (I recommend my clients use a microplane for this).”

While Gupta’s advice about preventing acid reflux rather than neutralizing it is valuable, anyone who has experienced the discomfort of this condition can understand the desire to find some form of edible relief. That’s why Reed considers bananas a good way to counteract reflux burns.

“I recommend bananas because they are an alkaline (food), so they help neutralize acid (and) can soothe an irritated esophagus and intestine. (They also) contain fiber to help move contents through the digestive tract,” Reed said.

The final acid reflux fender on our experts’ list may seem disappointing, but it’s an effective, inexpensive swap that can relieve a lot of discomfort for those who suffer from this condition.

“I would say that replacing coffee, soda, and tea with water is the most effective dietary change for reducing acid reflux,” says Dr. Sumana Moole, founder of Merus Gastroenterology & Gut Health in Suwanee, Georgia.

Moole endorses water as a substitute for other beverages, because coffee and soda “can lower the tone of the distal esophageal sphincter and cause reflux.” Water also “helps dilute the acid in the esophagus.”

If you’re currently suffering from acid reflux and want to replace plain water with something a little more potent, “alkaline water has some benefits for neutralizing acid,” Moole said.