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Low Acid Diet for GERD

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) occurs when acid from your stomach backs into your esophagus. This chronic disease irritates the lining of the esophagus, causing acid reflux and heartburn. Though medicine is often required to control GERD, lifestyle changes such as diet can also help improve your symptoms. Since just about any food can trigger the symptoms associated with GERD, it is important to educate yourself about what is more likely to make you experience heartburn and reflux.

  1. Common Foods

    • While everyone will experience different reactions to different foods, there are some that are more likely to trigger a reaction. Citrus fruits, such as oranges, lemons and grapefruit, are high in acid. You should also avoid eating tomatoes, raw onions or deep-fried potatoes. Meats that are high in acid include ground chuck, marbled sirloin and fried chicken. Beverages such as liquor, wine and coffee can also trigger flare-ups.

    Safer Alternatives

    • It is important to know which foods are lower in acid and therefore less likely to cause symptoms associated with GERD. Vegetables such as beans, carrots and broccoli are all considered safe. Bananas and apples are good examples of fruit that do not contain acids. Also, most meats, especially fish, are also considered safe to eat. Water is the best option for a beverage. In terms of dairy, low fat cheeses, cheese from goat's milk and soy-based cheese tend to cause people with GERD less problems.

    Benefits

    • By limiting foods with acid, you are allowing your esophagus and stomach time to heal. Usually doctors will recommend that people who are just diagnosed with GERD follow a strict diet. By ceasing these foods, your medicine and your body's natural healing properties will not be dealing with any new damage and can get to work on old injuries. After a period of time, you can reintroduce old foods back into your diet. It is crucial to monitor what you eat in relation to how you feel. If you discover a food is a trigger for your old GERD symptoms then you should cut it out of your diet again.

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