Your stomach naturally produces acids to help break down the foods you eat. Certain foods can contribute to excess stomach acid, leading to uncomfortable symptoms like stomach pain and heartburn. While some blanket triggers might help you relieve this problem, you should pay careful attention to your diet to identify your own personal triggers. As for relieving stomach acid, it is more about what you do not eat than making an effort to include certain items in your diet.
Eating Tips
While you might need to watch the particular foods you eat, you must also eat in a certain way to reduce stomach acid production. The Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters of Norfolk Virginia advises you to reduce stomach acid production by eating smaller meals throughout the day rather than fewer, larger ones. Give your stomach time to digest food before heading to bed --- do not eat at least two to three hours before. Keep upright for at least 45 minutes after eating. This will reduce the chances of suffering acid stomach and heartburn during the night --- the time it is most likely to occur due to your sleeping position.
Reducing Fat Intake
High-fat foods remain in the stomach longer and your stomach must produce more acid to digest them, according to explains the registered dietitian-created website Healthcastle. This means cutting back on meats high in fat and full-fat dairy products. Choose lean cuts of meat like sirloin and flank steak as well as poultry like chicken and turkey --- do not forget to remove the skin.
Considerations for Citrus, Coffee and Spicy Foods
While coffee, spicy foods and citrus fruits have always ranked high on the list of things to avoid for stomach acid, research conducted at Stanford University suggests otherwise. The study, published in a 2006 edition of "The Archives of Internal Medicine," found these items did not increase the amount of stomach acid secretions. If you find these items worsen your symptoms, however, avoid them.
Carbohydrate Considerations
Healthcastle explains that starchy carbohydrate foods can help absorb excess stomach acid and are generally gentler on the stomach. It recommends including some at each meal --- examples include rice, bread and pasta.
Beverages
Certain beverages can increase stomach acid production. Potentially problematic drinks include beer and other types of alcohol and soda. Drink plenty of water.
Other Foods to Avoid
The Children's Hospital cautions against eating processed, cured and smoked meats, as well as greasy meats like that on tacos. Many people find tomatoes -- and especially tomato-based products like sauces -- aggravate an acidic stomach. The hospital also recommends staying away from berries, onions, peppers, rich desserts, fried foods and chocolate.
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