8 Low-Acid Foods for Your Reflux Diet
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8 Low-Acid Foods for Your Reflux Diet

Low-acidic foods can relieve reflux for many. If you want to try a low-acid diet for heartburn and GERD, here's where to start.
8 Low-Acid Foods for Your Reflux Diet
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Updated on January 9, 2025
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Acid reflux happens when stomach acid and food contents flow back toward your throat, irritating your food pipe (esophagus).

 When acid reflux is chronic, it’s called gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD for short.


Several things can trigger acid reflux or a GERD episode, including some eating habits (like having dinner very late at night) or eating certain foods (like spicy, acidic, or fatty foods).

Felice Schnoll-Sussman, MD, the director of the Jay Monahan Center for Gastrointestinal Health at NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City, explains that a personalized diet is key for managing GERD symptoms. This, along with lifestyle changes, may be more effective than avoiding specific foods across the board, she says.

“Managing diet in acid reflux is individualized,” says Dr. Schnoll-Sussman. “First, we focus on lifestyle management. This may include eating slowly, chewing well, stopping before feeling stuffed. Probably one of the most important things is actually not lying down immediately after eating.”

The gastroenterologist or dietitian might talk with an individual about limiting certain foods that make their GERD symptoms worse, says Schnoll-Sussman, but there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to food restriction. She also expresses skepticism about the benefits of low-acid or non-acid foods for acid reflux, and stresses the importance of a well-balanced, nutritious diet for overall health and well-being.

If you want to try adding low-acid foods to your diet to manage acid reflux, here are some you can start with.

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Foods to Add to Your Reflux Diet

While the research and expert opinions on the benefits of a low-acid or no-acid diet are mixed, you may want to try the foods below and keep a record of what helps ease your symptoms.

Bananas

Bananas are low-acidic, or alkaline, foods that can neutralize stomach acid.

 Not only are they delicious, they’re also high in a type of fiber called pectin, which helps move food along the digestive tract. This prevents food from lingering in the stomach, thus reducing gastric acid.

Bananas also have a soothing texture that protects the lining of the stomach and esophagus against acid reflux.

Salmon

Salmon is a low-acidic food and an excellent source of lean protein. Lean proteins may help support the lower esophageal sphincter and reduce heartburn symptoms.

Plus, salmon may bring the added benefit of reducing inflammation because it’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

 A reduction in intestinal inflammation may also reduce GERD symptoms.

Brown Rice

Serve your salmon with a side of brown rice — a common staple of low-acid diets for GERD.

 Fiber-rich whole grains like brown rice can help people with GERD better manage their symptoms, probably because fiber helps improve digestion and reduces acid reflux.

 Brown rice is also low in acid.

Papaya

Papayas contain an enzyme called papain.

 Papain aids digestion and helps break down other foods. Also, papayas are low in acid. So, next time you’re looking to stock up your crisper drawer, consider buying some ripe papaya. Papaya juice can also help support digestion and reduce acid reflux.

Ginger

Ginger is another low-acid food with great potential to reduce acid reflux.

 Ginger reduces inflammation, which may help reduce acid reflux, too. It’s also soothing for your digestive tract, making it a popular choice in traditional medicine for gastrointestinal issues.
Use ginger to cook a delicious curry, sprinkle some raw ginger over your breakfast oats, add it to juices or smoothies, or make ginger tea. Some studies suggest that this versatile plant can relieve heartburn.

Yogurt and Other Probiotics

Yogurt is a great addition to your reflux diet.

 It’s a low-acidic food (especially when not too sour), and it’s rich in probiotics — gut-friendly bacteria that improve your digestion. What’s more, yogurt’s cool sensation can soothe your tummy. Low-fat yogurt, in particular, is great protection against inflammation and may reduce acid reflux.

Aloe Vera

Some researchers suggest that consuming small amounts of pure aloe vera juice before meals may reduce acid reflux.

 This could be because aloe vera contains enzymes that help break down sugars and fats, thus promoting healthy digestion.

The evidence is not conclusive, though. “Aloe vera may have anti-inflammatory effects,” says Alexandra Rosenstock, RD, a clinical dietitian at the NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Center for Advanced Digestive Care. “There is very limited evidence that it may help acid reflux symptoms — insufficient to recommend it. Aloe may be irritating to the intestine, particularly if it contains anthraquinone, which acts as a laxative and is found in the latex.”

Small quantities of aloe gel taken orally for a short time may be safe, she says, although she also emphasizes the lack of evidence to support the use aloe vera in the long term.

Lean Meats

Lean meats (such as skinless turkey or chicken) may help some people with acid reflux. “In people who feel best eating a lower-fat diet, lean meats are a good alternative to fattier cuts of meat, which may worsen these symptoms of reflux,” says Rosenstock.

These foods may be better tolerated because they’re low in fat. Foods high in fat can also slow down digestion, which may cause the food to stay for longer in the digestive tract, worsening heartburn symptoms.

How you cook the meat matters. “It would be recommended to steam, lightly sauté, bake, or grill foods versus frying to limit their fat content,” says Rosenstock.

The Takeaway

  • Avoid fatty, spicy, or acidic foods to reduce your acid reflux symptoms.
  • Try foods like bananas, papaya, brown rice, lean protein, and low-fat yogurt and see if your symptoms improve.
  • Add flavor to your dishes with a sprinkle of ginger, and keep a food diary to see which foods improve acid reflux symptoms.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
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Resources
  1. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Mayo Clinic. August 22, 2024.
  2. Garg V et al. Antacids revisited: Review on contemporary facts and relevance for self-management. Journal of International Medical Research. March 28, 2022.
  3. Herdiana Y. Functional Food in Relation to Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Nutrients. August 15, 2023.
  4. Lechien JR et al. Alkaline, protein, low-fat and low-acid diet in laryngopharyngeal reflux disease: Our experience on 65 patients. Clinical Otolaryngology. May 2019.
  5. Understanding Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD).