Dietary guidelines to help reduce heartburn and acid reflux
Your healthcare provider has advised you to begin an anti-reflux diet. This type of diet is actually easy to follow, requiring you to cut out just a few foods and beverages that either relax the lower part of the esophagus or increase the amount of acid in the stomach.
Caffeinated drinks • Carbonated drinks • Greasy or fatty foods • Spicy food • Citrus fruits and juices • Tomatoes or anything tomato based • Onions • Peppermint • Chocolate • Alcohol • Nicotine (cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco)
| Food Type | Foods to Eat ✓ | Foods to Avoid ✗ |
|---|---|---|
| Beverages | Water, fruit juices (except citrus juice), decaffeinated tea or coffee (use carefully, since some people are also sensitive to decaffeinated beverages) | Mint tea, regular coffee or tea, citrus juices, cocoa, alcohol in any form, carbonated drinks with and without caffeine |
| Dairy Products | Skim milk, low fat milk, low-fat yogurt, low fat or fat-free sour cream and cream cheese, low fat cottage cheese | Whole milk, butter, chocolate milk, full fat sour cream, cream cheese, ice cream, high fat cheeses such as cheddar, full fat dips |
| Vegetables | Any plain raw, baked, broiled or steamed vegetable, except onions and tomatoes | Fried, creamed or spicy vegetable dishes, onions, tomatoes |
| Fruits | Any plain raw, broiled or baked fruit | Oranges, tangerines, tangelos, grapefruit, lemons, limes, any fried fruit, any creamy fruit dishes |
| Meats | Any plain baked, broiled, steamed lean beef, pork, chicken, poultry or fish | Luncheon meat, hot dogs, sausage, bacon, fat back, salt pork, heavily marbled beef, any fried, breaded or pan fried meat, poultry, fish, shellfish or pork, any dish with gravy or sauce, chili, pizza, tacos, anything marinated in spicy, tomato or barbequed sauces |
| Breads & Cereals | Any low fat bread or cereal, plain rice, plain pasta | Any high fat bread/cereal, any bread made with milk, creamy or cheesy rice dishes, pasta with tomato sauce |
| Desserts | Low fat baked goods (look for less than 3 grams of fat per serving), low fat or fat free puddings, fruit pops except citrus pops | Chocolate desserts, creamy desserts, high fat desserts such as cheesecake, pie, ice cream |
| Soups | Any fat free or low fat soup without tomatoes or onions | Full fat soups, tomato soup, onion soup, French onion soup, creamy soups |