Painful symptoms of acid reflux, including burning in the chest, bloating after meals, pain radiating to your back and sore throat, to name just a few, are easy to manage when you know how to eat right. If you eat fast foods, lots of fatty snacks, chili, hot wings and hamburgers like the average American, then you might not know that these are some of the most acid forming, irritating foods you can put into your poor stomach. Knowledge is king, and learning what foods will soothe your gastrointestinal tract, neutralize acids and bring almost instant relief from the pain may help protect you against other potentially more-serious diseases later.
Complex Carbohydrates
Organic is best, and whole grains as well as starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, plantains and taro root are soothing to the digestive tract and help maintain an alkaline environment in the stomach, protecting against acidosis, authors and natural health experts Robert O. Young and Shelly Redford Young explain in their book "The pH Miracle." Try the ancient, unmodified "tiny grains," of amaranth, quinoa or millet instead of white rice or wheat-based foods for a delicious, alkaline-forming addition to your meals.
Fruits and Vegetables
Also alkaline forming, according to Dr. Theodore A. Baroody's book "Alkalize or Die," are organic, fresh fruits and most vegetables. The sweeter the better when it comes to fruit, Baroody explains. Sweeter fruits are more alkaline-forming and protect the stomach lining. Try all the berries, cherries, sweet red apples and yellow bananas (green are acid-producing). Leafy green vegetables like spinach, kale and collard greens are excellent as are carrots, lettuce, celery and artichokes and bok choy.
Spices and Condiments
Replace hot, spicy foods and peppers with soothing green spices like thyme, basil, sage and oregano, and add the warm brown spices such as cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg as well as ginger, which is excellent for calming acid reflux symptoms.
Try apple cider vinegar (ACV) in salad dressings, homemade mayo and other sauces. ACV is one of the top foods Baroody recommends for relieving acidosis in the body, and he recommends it to help neutralize acids and stimulate the production of bicarbonate during the digestive process.
Proteins
Proteins obtained from legumes and dried beans are better tolerated than heavy proteins from beef, the Mayo Clinic explains. Cooking is the key to making beans easily digestible. Change the soaking and cooking water several times to eliminate gassy byproducts and make beans more user friendly. Eat fish for protein sources and remember to add some soy products such as tofu. Lean, skinless poultry is also a good choice for people with acid reflux.
Dairy
Use non-dairy products like almond or hazelnut milk in place of cow's milk, a known troublemaker for those with acid reflux, dietitian Gloria Tsang of the HealthCastle website explains. Try soy cheese or cheese made from goat's or sheep's milk in place of the more-irritating cow's milk products. Low in fat and delicious after you get used to the taste, these dairy substitutes are much easier on the stomach.
Other Considerations
Portion size is important to prevent acid reflux, and frequent, small meals are recommended by the Mayo Clinic. Chew food well, mixing in saliva to initiate the digestive process in the mouth and prevent reflux.
References
- "The pH Miracle", Robert O. Young, Ph.D., and Shelly Redford Young, 2003
- "Alkalinize or Die", Dr. Theodore A. Baroody, 1991: Alkalinize to neutralize acids
- HealthCastle.com: Myth about Milk
