Milk and dairy products are high in fat and tend to make heartburn worse. When you have frequent GERD symptoms, like heartburn, eating high-fat dairy products like cheese can aggravate your symptoms. Furthermore, cold dairy products like ice cream can actually numb and inhibit the lower esophageal sphincter's function.
On the other hand, softer cheeses like mozzarella and ricotta are generally well-tolerated by people with acid reflux. These cheeses contain lower levels of lactic acid, making them less likely to trigger heartburn.
By itself or with little sauce and cheese, pasta shouldn't trigger acid reflux. However, specific ingredients and toppings can lead to heartburn in people prone to it, such as heavy tomato or cream sauces, lots of garlic and spices, and carbonara (cream, cheese, and bacon).
Choosing Cheese Wisely
Opt for milder cheeses: Fresh and less-aged cheeses tend to have a milder flavor and lower acidity. Mozzarella, cottage cheese, and goat cheese are examples of options that are generally well-tolerated by individuals with acid reflux.
So at the low end (barely acidic), we have milk with a pH around 6.7. At the high end, yogurt's pH is around 4.5. Most cheeses fall somewhere in between plain milk and yogurt. These differences in pH can be attributed to the aforementioned cultures, which produce lactic acid by breaking down lactose.
With lactose intolerance, you can still eat cheese, but choose carefully. Hard, aged cheeses like Swiss, parmesan, and cheddars are lower in lactose. Other low-lactose cheese options include cottage cheese or feta cheese made from goat or sheep's milk.
Avocado: Despite being high in fat, avocados are rich in healthy fats, which can settle your stomach and prevent acid reflux symptoms. Whole Grain Rice: Whole grains are great to absorb the acids causing reflux, and rice is one of the most absorbent.
A 100% whole grain bread is a particularly healthy choice for people with acid reflux. Rather than containing only whole wheat, it can include other whole grains, so it provides a broader spectrum of nutrients.
Some people with GERD find that the yolk of the egg aggravates their symptoms. The good news is that you can easily enjoy just the egg whites. To avoid butter and oil, eat just the white of a hard boiled egg. A light scramble in a little bit of butter or coconut oil is another option.
Water. In general, drinking water can help balance the pH of a particularly acidic meal, which may help to lower the risk of acid reflux. Studies show that drinking mineral water with a high hydrogen carbonate content can help to alleviate the frequency and severity of acid reflux.
Acid reflux can cause a burning sensation in the throat and chest. Drinking water, low fat milk, and herbal teas may help manage it.
Meanwhile, certain home remedies and lifestyle changes may help you get rid of GERD for good. You can try avoiding trigger foods and lying down after eating, losing excess weight, exercising, and quitting smoking and avoiding alcohol, if applicable. In severe cases, surgery may be necessary to cure GERD.
Yogurt that is not too sour is also excellent for acid reflux, because of the probiotics that help normalize bowel function. Yogurt also provides protein, and soothes stomach discomfort, often providing a cooling sensation. It is easy to choose foods by looking them up to see how acidic they are.
Saturated fats such as butter, cream and cheese, can be especially bad for acid reflux, so try to ensure that the fats you eat are healthier unsaturated ones, such as avocado or walnuts.
It's sad but true: chocolate can increase the acid exposure to the lower end of the esophagus and induce reflux3. Milk chocolate can also be high in fat4, another reason the sweet is problematic for acid reflux sufferers.
Toast is easier to digest than bread as the toasting process breaks down some of the carbohydrates. Toast can help decrease nausea and reduce heartburn, but not all toast is the same. Whole wheat bread is more healthful than white bread but is high in fiber and can be difficult for some people to eat.
Banana is considered to be an alkaline food because of its high potassium content. A ripe banana can combat stomach acid and coat stomach lining to help prevent heartburn and other reflux symptoms. However, for some people, bananas can be a trigger, particularly if the banana is not yet ripe.
Toast is 100% acid-reflux-friendly and should be considered over a slice of bread. That's because toasting breaks down some carbs, making it much easier for your stomach to digest. Make sure you're using one of the top bread options listed above.
Foods to Eat on an Acid Reflux Diet
Noncitrus fruits: Apples, bananas, blueberries, and strawberries are safe bets. Lean chicken and meat: Order or cook it grilled instead of fried. Plain breads and cereals: Skip overly processed carbs with high-fat ingredients like muffins and croissants.
Apples for stomach acid are believed to be safe because they contain alkaline minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium, which are claimed to relieve stomach acid reflux symptoms. Because it does not contain as much acid as citrus fruits and tomatoes, you can eat pears for stomach acid.
Melons – Watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew are all low-acid fruits that are among the best foods for acid reflux. Oatmeal – Filling, hearty and healthy, this comforting breakfast standard also works for lunch.
So those with particularly sensitive stomachs will want to avoid creamier varieties such as ricotta or cottage cheese at all costs. Sugar is the primary component of lactose that makes it difficult to digest, which means that aged, hard cheeses—which have a lower sugar content—are easier on the stomach.
Try Probiotics
Lactic acid bacteria in the intestines break lactose down into simpler sugars that can be absorbed by the colon. Certain probiotic supplements may help with this process. You can get them in capsule, tablet, or powder form at health food stores, grocery stores, drugstores, and online.
Goat cheese
“This is because the casein protein in goat cheese doesn't cause inflammatory effects as associated with other kinds of dairy,” Neumann says. Goat cheese is also high in selenium, a nutrient that helps protect the body against inflammation.