Acid Reflux Diet - WYE

Acid reflux is a fairly common phenomenon that happens to most people at some point in their lives. It mostly occurs after eating and happens when the flap that separates the esophagus and the stomach doesn't close properly. As a result, the contents of the stomach, mostly stomach acids, move up the esophagus, causing a painful burning sensation in the chest and an acidic taste in the mouth.

While certain foods themselves don't actually cause heartburn, they can worsen the effects. Most people think that only spicy foods make heartburn worse, but there are actually quite a few foods that can contribute to acid reflux.

While it differs for everyone, the following foods have the greatest likelihood of worsening acid reflux and should be avoided. In addition, any other foods not on the list that dieters notice worsens their acid reflux should also be avoided.
- Fried and fatty foods
- Spicy foods
- Citrus fruits like oranges, pineapples and tomatoes
- Tomato products, including spaghetti sauces and pizza
- Coffee
- Caffeinated tea
- Alcoholic beverages
- Citrus fruit drinks, including lemonade and orange juice
- Chocolate
- Peppermint
- Pepper
- Carbonated beverages
- Ice Cream
- Salad dressings
- Potato chips
- Cakes and donuts
- Macaroni and cheese

Foods OK to Eat
For the most part, the following foods are safe for people with Acid Reflux to eat.
- Apples, both fresh and dried
- Apple juice
- Baked potatoes
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Green beans
- Peas
- Ground beef, extra-lean
- London Broil steaks
- Skinless chicken breasts
- Egg whites
- Egg substitutes, like Egg Beaters
- Fish that have no added fat
- Feta cheese
- Goat cheese
- Fat free cream cheese
- Fat free sour cream
- Low fat soy cheese
- White bread
- Multi-grain bread
- Cereal, including bran and oatmeal
- Corn bread
- Graham crackers
- Pretzels
- Brown or white rice
- Rice cakes
- Mineral water
- Low fat salad dressings
These lists are not all-inclusive. As a general rule, however, these are the foods that should be avoided and those that are generally considered alright to eat while on the Acid Reflux Diet.
In order to make sure the diet actually works, many doctors encourage those who are going on the Acid Reflux Diet to keep a food diary for at least a week. During this week, they are to write down everything they eat, the times the foods are eaten, how much food is consumed, and the symptoms, if any, they experience. This can be helpful not only in determining which foods are alright to eat, but it can also be helpful in other ways. For example, a dieter may realize that all foods they eat after 8 PM cause heartburn, even foods that normally wouldn't cause a problem. Or they may realize that after eating an above-average amount of safe foods, they experienced acid reflux. Keeping a food diary in the beginning is an important part of the diet.