5 Foods That Won't Give You Acid Reflux (hopefully) 🍌

Last week we wrote about the Top 5 Foods that trigger acid reflux. We heard back from quite a few of you sharing what other things trigger your reflux and asking the question “What’s left to eat that DOESN'T give me reflux?!” 

We hear you loud and clear, it’s super frustrating to have to give up or limit the things you love (coffee and chocolate, anyone?), but the truth is there are still great foods that are reflux friendly and may be helpful in healing the damage. Here’s 5 of them:

Veggies:

Yep, Mama was right… eat your vegetables, kiddo! While this may not be as exciting as say, cupcakes- vegetables on their own and creatively cooked are delicious and easy on your system. A couple categories that are generally agreeable for reflux sufferers are green vegetables and root vegetables. In general vegetables are low in fat and acid content, meaning they’re unlikely to trigger a reflux episode. Bonus, they’re full of lovely dietary fiber which has a secondary positive effect on digestion and reflux. Check out the next item for more on that…

Bananas:

Bananas are a low acid fruit that actually provide a mild calming effect to your esophagus due to a slick coating they leave behind. They’re also quite high in fiber which benefits us reflux sufferers in a couple ways: 1. Your gut is a wonderland of microbes (good bacteria) and you want to increase that . Eating lots of fiber helps your digestive system build up good bacteria which translates to better digestion and less heartburn. 2. Pectin, a soluble fiber in bananas has been found to help move food quicker through the digestive tract. As we wrote last week, food that hangs around in your gut continues to create more acid leading to more reflux. Bananas may help your food cruise along on its journey more efficiently. 

Water-y Stuff:

Mmmmm, sounds delicious, right?! A bunch of stuff can go in this category; melon, broth soups, tea, skim milk, lettuce, cabbage and on and on. Here’s the theory behind why this can be helpful: eating foods with high water content dilutes and weakens stomach acid making heartburn symptoms less severe. A couple things to note on this- not everything watery is helpful. Oranges have high levels of water content but also high acidity which means they don’t work for everyone. Also, the most important secret takeaway here… DRINK LOTS OF WATER!!! This may be the simplest way to begin combatting reflux. Don’t worry you’ll hear more from us on this one.

Oatmeal:

Oatmeal is a high fiber food which means it promotes gut health and reduces constipation. Keep your gut happy and there’s a good chance you’ll have less reflux symptoms. An added benefit is something Dr. Barry used to say “Oatmeal sticks to your ribs. It’ll take you to the field and bring you back”. As a kid I’m sure I rolled my eyes at this but it’s true, an oatmeal breakfast will leave you feeling full long after other foods would have abandoned ship. Here’s why this matters- overeating causes a world of reflux problems- slow digestion, increased acid, and lots of gas. So- eat oatmeal, feel full, and have less reflux.  Yay!! 

Lean meats:

Remember what we wrote last week? Fatty foods cause your Lower Esophageal Sphincter to relax and can lead to acid reflux. No, this doesn’t mean you have to give up on meats you love, but being more selective about what type and how it’s cooked could be a game changer. Chicken, turkey, lean cut pork chops, and some fish and seafood will probably be your best choices here and the cooking method is critical. Baking, broiling and poaching are all options that allow your protein to cook without soaking up extra fats.

I hope this was helpful and maybe even a little encouraging. I wish cupcakes and lasagna could have been on the list- maybe next time! Seriously though, we are learning more and more about how frustrating and limiting living with acid reflux is. So sorry, friend! We want to support you on the journey of healing, so if there’s something you want us to research or write about, please let us know.

All the best, Dane