Lean meats, such as chicken, turkey, fish, and seafood, are low-fat and can reduce symptoms of acid reflux. Try them grilled, broiled, baked, or poached.
Foods that might worsen GERD or reflux esophagitis symptoms include: meat, which tends to be high in saturated fats. oils and high fat foods, which may cause the sphincter at the bottom of the esophagus to relax, and also slow down digestion.
Skinless chicken makes a great low-acid diet staple.
Red meat and fatty meats have been associated with heartburn and other acid reflux symptoms, so you should stick to lean proteins like skinless chicken breasts, fresh turkey breast, ground turkey, and lean cut pork chops. You can also eat fish and seafood.
Lean Poultry: Low-fat meats like chicken and turkey are good to reduce acid reflux when grilled, broiled, or baked – NOT fried.
Lettuce, celery and sweet peppers – These mild green veggies are easy on the stomach – and won't cause painful gas. Brown rice – This complex carbohydrate is mild and filling – just don't serve it fried. Melons – Watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew are all low-acid fruits that are among the best foods for acid reflux.
Eggs are neither good nor bad for acid reflux. They won't help your symptoms but are not known to trigger symptoms either (However trigger foods can differ from person to person, so if eggs cause you problems I would limit your intake.)
High Meats: All high fat meats--beef, pork, and lamb--stay in the stomach longer, increasing the likelihood of reflux.
Fatty foods are one of the top offenders in causing heartburn. Greasy foods, such as fried and fast food, or red meats, such as bacon and sausage, are all high in fat. These foods tend to sit longer in your stomach due to their high-fat content.
When food sits in your stomach longer, your body responds by making more acid. Fried foods like onion rings are obvious culprits, but meats like prime rib or bacon, and whole milk dairy products also cause symptoms. Spicy foods — Spicy foods make acid reflux worse in two ways.
Red meat and processed meat are the most common acidic foods in the Western diet. Red meat is high in protein and phosphorus, thus increasing the amount of acid in the diet. In addition, other animal proteins such as chicken and eggs also contribute to increasing the amount of acid in the daily diet.
Foods to Eat on an Acid Reflux Diet
Noncitrus fruits: Apples, bananas, blueberries, and strawberries are safe bets.
Some veggies that reduce heartburn include cucumbers, leafy greens, broccoli, green beans, potatoes, asparagus and cauliflower. Try these options for a light and tasty lunch: Baked potato with steamed broccoli.
FILLERS: try to stick to meats lower in fat, such as chicken, turkey, ham or roast beef. Buy meats that haven't gone through a lot of processing. For example, avoid smoked or cured meats, as these can often trigger heartburn; the meat is often spiced or glazed with honey or sugar. SPREADS: choose a low fat mayonnaise.
A healthy eating guide for reflux
Breakfast - a bowl of high fibre cereal such as untoasted muesli, weetbix or porridge with fresh or tinned fruit and reduced fat or skim milk and/ or wholemeal or grain toast with minimal margarine and honey or vegemite.
Milk and dairy products are high in fat and tend to make heartburn worse. When you have frequent GERD symptoms, like heartburn, eating high-fat dairy products like cheese can aggravate your symptoms. Furthermore, cold dairy products like ice cream can actually numb and inhibit the lower esophageal sphincter's function.
Avoid fatty meats like ham or bacon. Oatmeal is a great option.
Fibre content and healthy complex carbs in rice are great to reduce heartburn.
The following foods may help reduce your acid reflux symptoms: Vegetables such as green beans, broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, leafy greens, potatoes and cucumbers are not only low in fat and sugar; they also help reduce stomach acid.
Salads are good news for those with chronic heartburn or GERD - if you have the right salad dressing and ingredients, that is. High-fat foods are a known trigger for acid reflux, so the National Heartburn Alliance recommends avoiding creamy salad dressings, as well as oil and vinegar.
Yogurt that is not too sour is also excellent for acid reflux, because of the probiotics that help normalize bowel function. Yogurt also provides protein, and soothes stomach discomfort, often providing a cooling sensation. It is easy to choose foods by looking them up to see how acidic they are.
Beans are a heart-healthy food, and are also a good source of fiber. Try including beans into your acid reflux diet to see how they help.