Foods to consider for an acid reflux diet

This is general advice if you are going on an acid reflux diet. Eating large meals and eating just before bed is not recommended when following an acid reflux diet. You are also supposed to avoid fatty and / or spicy foods. All of these habits can lead to increased stomach acid production that can enter and cause damage to the esophagus. This is particularly true if the closing muscles are not working as they should. The consequence is that you end up with permanent heartburn.

There are many foods to consider when discussing an acid reflux diet. There are foods that should be avoided, foods that can be consumed in moderation, and foods that can definitely be consumed. The first section of the acid reflux diet will deal with foods to avoid:

Fruit: lemon, orange juice, lemonade, cranberry juice, tomato juice, and grapefruit.

Vegetables: mashed potatoes, raw onion, and French fries

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

Dairy: milkshake, sour cream, ice cream, and regular cottage cheese

Grains – Spaghetti with sauce and mac and cheese

Beverages: wine, liquor, all decaffeinated or regular coffee, all decaffeinated or regular tea.

Fats / Oils: Creamy Salad Dressings, Oil Vinegar Salad Dressings

Sweets / Desserts: Chocolate, shortbread, high fat, brownies, donuts, French fries, and corn chips.

The following list of foods are considered safe foods if you are on 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, Fish with No Added Fat, Egg Whites, Egg Substitutes

Dairy: feta or goat cheese, fat-free sour cream, fat-free cream cheese, low-fat tofu

Grains: Cornbread, whole wheat or white bread, graham crackers, oatmeal or bran cereal, pretzels, brown or white rice, rice cakes

Drinks – Mineral water

Fats / oils: low-fat salad dressings

Treats / Desserts: Fat-free cookies, red licorice, jelly beans, baked potato chips

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

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

Vegetables: cooked onion, garlic, leeks, chives, sauerkraut

Meat: Lean ground beef, scrambled eggs with butter, chicken salad, fried eggs, tuna salad, fried fish, beef or pork sausage, ham.

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

Grains: granola cereal, garlic bread, muffin

Drinks: non-alcoholic wine, non-alcoholic beer, cola, beer, root beer.

Fats / Oils – Ketchup

Sweets / desserts – low fat cookie

This is by no means a complete list of foods you can eat and avoid on an acid reflux diet, but it is a start. When you find that your reflux disease is somewhat under control, then perhaps you can slowly add a food from the forbidden list to see how you react to it. If your acid reflux worsens, then you should avoid that food forever.