What Foods Can You Eat With Heartburn?

Acidic foods and caffeine can be torture to an inflamed esophagus and a stomach prone to acid reflux. Replace a diet filled with foods known for triggering acid reflux with foods that will calm your esophagus and prevent your stomach from giving you heartburn.

Avoid Spicy Food

• Spicy food should be avoided at all costs when you have heartburn -- i.e., things like chili, nachos, tacos and anything of a Chinese or Thai nature. That's not to say you can't ever eat these foods again, but they're notorious for making stomachs react with acid reflux.

Avoid Foods High in Fat

• WebMD.com suggests cutting out foods high in sugar or fat, such as chocolate, donuts, oily salad dressings and fried foods. Also, drain any fat out of ground beef or other meat that you cook on the stove before adding sauce mixes or mashed potatoes, as this excess fat can trigger reflux reactions in your esophagus

Leave Out the Caffeine

• Coffee, tea and most liquor are harmful to an esophagus suffering from acid reflux, according to WebMD. Caffeinated soda is acceptable in small quantities, but this type of drink will generally give you an acid-reflux nightmare. Try sticking to noncaffeinated sodas, such as particular brands of root beer or clear soda.

Foods You Should Eat

• According to QualityHealth.com, starches such as baked potatoes and sweet potatoes are safe foods, but mashed potatoes are not, due to their butter and milk content. If you crave mashed potatoes during heartburn, steamed and mashed cauliflower is a good alternative. Non-beef meats, such as chicken and pork, are preferred alternatives to steak and roast. And bland fruits like bananas and apples should be eaten as opposed to oranges or plums.

Drinks You Should Sip

• Soft fruit drinks, such as pear juice or white grape juice, are often very soothing to someone suffering from heartburn. Aloe vera extract is another remedy that can soothe burning sensations inside the body just as aloe vera gel soothes burns on the outside.