Certain foods can aggravate your heartburn symptoms, and when planning your acid reflux diet, it's best to limit or avoid completely those foods and drinks that result in acid reflux. There are some foods that have little or no potential for causing heartburn.
The foods listed in the Table below are the most common foods that are usually pretty safe for heartburn sufferers to eat.
For a listing of foods that you may be able to enjoy occasionally, please check out the table for foods that can be Consumed With Discretion. For a listing of foods that should be avoided entirely, as they are usually responsible for a higher occurrence of heartburn, please check out the table for Foods To Be Avoided.
This is by no means a complete list, and in your personal situation, you may either find you can eat the foods from the "Avoid" group with no problem or have problems with foods not listed. It is a good idea to keep a Food Diary. For approximately two weeks, write down what you eat, when you eat and any symptoms you may experience. This will help you and your doctor plan your diet and decide on any change in eating habits you may need.
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Safe Foods for the Acid Reflux Diet
| Food Group | Foods With Little Potential to Cause Heartburn |
| Fruit | • Apple, fresh • Apple, dried • Apple juice • Banana |
| Vegetables | • Baked potato • Broccoli • Cabbage • Carrots • Green beans • Peas |
| Meat | • Ground beef, extra-lean • Steak, London Broil • Chicken breast, skinless • Egg whites • Egg substitute • Fish, no added fat |
| Dairy | • Cheese, feta or goat • Cream cheese, fat-free • Sour cream, fat-free • Soy cheese, low-fat |
| Grains | • Bread, mult-grain or white • Cereal, bran or oatmeal • Corn bread • Graham crakers • Pretzels • Rice, brown or white • Rice cakes |
| Beverages | • Mineral water |
| Fats / Oils | • Salad dressing, low-fat |
| Sweets / Desserts | • Cookie, fat-free • Jelly beans • Red licorice • Potato chips, baked |
