Foods To Eat and Avoid if You Have GERD

If you’ve ever had acid reflux, you know how uncomfortable it can be. There’s nothing pleasant about stomach acid gurgling out of your tummy and burning a wrong-way path up your esophagus.

The good news? Ongoing acid reflux, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), can often be managed through food choices, says registered dietitian Beth Czerwony, RD, LD.

While there isn’t a defined GERD diet, there’s no question that certain foods may trigger acid reflux. Here’s what grub might punch your ticket to Heartburn City, and what may help keep your gut happy.

GERD trigger foods

Your digestive system is designed to keep the contents of your belly from flowing back up. But some foods can undermine the gatekeeping valve (the lower esophageal sphincter) that separates your esophagus and stomach.

If that valve relaxes, acid and other digestive goop can creep up into your esophagus. This can kickstart GERD symptoms like heartburn, nausea and a sour taste in your mouth.

It’s best to avoid the following foods if you have GERD.

Fattier foods

Fatty foods are much harder to digest. As this chewed-up chow lingers in a growing pool of stomach acid, it tends to loosen up that valve to your esophagus and light the match for heartburn.

High-fat foods that can contribute to GERD include:

• Heavily marbled beef, bacon or processed meats like sausages
• Fried foods
• Potato chips and similar snacks

“So, you eat your wings or fries or greasy burger, and then it just sits in your stomach turning and churning in all that acid,” illustrates Czerwony. “Eventually, your stomach valve relaxes and things start working their way back up.”

Acidic foods

Remember talking about the pH scale back in science class? It’s a way to measure the acidity of a substance. The lower the score, the higher the acidic value.

Consuming food and drinks that lean toward the acidic side can irritate your esophagus and disturb that all-important stomach valve — two factors that can bring on GERD symptoms, explains Czerwony.

Acidic food can also increase stomach acid production, which can worsen GERD.

Acidic foods to limit if you have GERD include:

• Citrus fruits, like oranges, grapefruit, lemons and limes (plus related products)
• Tomatoes and tomato-based products (like sauces and salsa)
• Onions
• Garlic
• Coffee (for both acidity and caffeine)

Spicy foods

Capsaicin, a natural compound that brings the heat to spicy food, slows digestion once it hits your belly to put added pressure on your stomach valve. Flame-throwing food may also irritate your esophagus to increase heartburn.

In addition, many spicy dishes include acidic foods — like tomatoes and onions — that can double your trouble.

Other foods that cause acid reflux

Other items in your kitchen that could fuel GERD include:

• Chocolate, due to a higher fat content and a natural compound (methylxanthine) that’s similar to caffeine
• Sweets and treats with higher fat content
• Peppermint because of its potential to boost stomach acid
• High-fat dairy products that take longer to digest
• Carbonated drinks from their acidity and fizziness of carbon dioxide
• Alcohol, given its ability to relax that gatekeeping valve and increase stomach acid

Foods to minimize GERD

Czerwony suggests building meals around these options to keep heartburn from flaring.

• Leaner meats. Chicken, fish and less fatty cuts of beef and pork are less likely to trigger acid reflux. Try to use lower-fat cooking methods like grilling, broiling or baking, too (as opposed to frying).
• Vegetables. Fiber in vegetables can help manage stomach acid production while also improving digestion. “Keeping things moving along is to your benefit if you’re someone who regularly gets heartburn,” says Czerwony.
• Non-citrus fruits. Less acidic fruit like bananas, berries and melons can neutralize (or calm) stomach acid and minimize the chance of backflow. They’re typically higher in beneficial fiber, too.
• Whole grains. You may have heard this before, but fiber is fabulous for gut health — and whole-grain products are loaded with fiber. Options include oatmeal, brown rice, whole-wheat breads and more.
• Beans and lentils. These high-fiber foods are also more alkaline (the opposite of acidic) to help manage stomach acid.
• Egg whites. Using just egg whites instead of the whole eggs (with the higher-fat yolks) can minimize the chances of acid reflux.
• Lower-fat dairy that’s easier to digest. A bonus? “Dairy can also kind of coat your stomach and calm down aggravation from acids,” says Czerwony.

Eating habits to manage acid reflux

It’s not just what you eat that can bring heartburn and other GERD symptoms. Here are some others to manage how your gut feels after a meal.

• Eat smaller meals. The more food that’s in your stomach, the more likely you are to experience that painful GERD backflow. “Giving your stomach less work to do can save you from heartburn later,” states Czerwony.
• Don’t lie down after eating. Gravity is your friend when it comes to keeping that stomach valve closed. Sitting upright, standing or walking can help prevent anything in your tummy from heading up after a meal.

Czerwony also recommends keeping a journal to track what foods kickstart your acid reflux.

“A food that’s a problem for one person may not be for you. It’s very individualized,” clarifies Czerwony. “Connect the dots between your heartburn and what you ate before it. If a certain food gives you problems, you know to avoid it.”