What Foods Should You Eat To Avoid Acid Reflux?

A certain group of trigger foods cause the painful symptoms of acid reflux or heartburn, and others soothe and heal the digestive tract, while a third group acts to prevent acid indigestion. If you're like the majority of Americans, you most likely eat more junk food than you should, according to Pew Research Center Publications. These foods aggravate acid reflux, the Life Extension website reports. They go on to discuss a variety of foods available that help resolve reflux symptoms and promote healing, thus avoiding ongoing complications of chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Teas and Infusions

Licorice root tea, green tea and ginger tea are all ways to reduce symptoms and heal the lining of the digestive tract. According to LifeExtension.org, licorice root enhances the creation of additional mucus secretions to protect the lining of the stomach and esophagus. Green tea contains a compound that may contribute to stimulating the lower esophageal sphincter to contract more readily, holding food in the stomach where it belongs and thus preventing it from refluxing, the Life Extension website reports. Ginger is an old-time remedy for digestive disorders that has been used for hundreds of years, first by the Chinese and also by herbalists, the People's Parmacy website explains.

Digestive Aids

The herbal form of liquid radish extract has been found to increase the speed of digestion by helping to stimulate digestive juices and moving food through the system more rapidly, thus allowing it less time to reflux into the esophagus, according to LifeExtension.
Digestive enzymes promote digestion and can be taken with meals to help food break down more rapidly. They are available in tablet and capsule form but come from fruits. Papaya and pineapple are two of the main fruits that provide digestive enzymes.

Spices and Condiments

MamaHerb.com recommends basil for acid reflux symptoms to reduce burning pain, gas, bloating and nausea. Use it as a tea or chew a leaf of fresh basil for relief.
Organic apple cider vinegar (ACV) has been used for hundreds of years for treating indigestion, Dr. Theodore A. Baroody says in his book "Alkalize or Die." ACV, an acid itself, has the capacity to stimulate digestive juices, both acidic and alkaline, and contributes to an alkaline-forming environment in the stomach, enabling acids to become neutralized.

Sweets

Baroody recommends organic raw honey, which is high in potassium and contributes to balancing the system and soothing away symptoms of acid reflux. Predigested in the stomachs of bees, honey is an almost perfect food, Baroody says, and is easy for humans to digest. He recommends using it in place of other sweeteners.
For a fruity sweet, eat berries of all kinds, the sweeter the better. High in potassium, berries are recommended by Baroody and are a great way to alkalinize the system keeping excess acids at bay. Sweet red apples are also recommended for their ability to reduce reflux symptoms, as well as apple sauce and fresh apple juice. All of these fruits should ideally be organic, Rebecca Toback says on the Organic Consumers Association website, to avoid consuming pesticides and potentially harmful chemicals and gain the benefits inherent in the fruit.