Acid Reflux Diet: Complete Food List & Lifestyle Guide

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A dietician-reviewed guide to foods that soothe acid reflux and the triggers that make it worse. Plus a sample 3-day meal plan.

Acid Reflux Diet: Complete Food List & Lifestyle Guide

What is acid reflux?

Acid reflux happens when stomach acid flows back up into the oesophagus — the tube between your throat and stomach. If it happens more than twice a week it’s called GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). Classic symptoms are heartburn, regurgitation, hoarseness and a chronic cough.

Foods to avoid

  • Fried and heavily spiced foods
  • Citrus fruits and tomato-based sauces
  • Chocolate and peppermint
  • Carbonated and caffeinated drinks
  • Alcohol — especially red wine and beer
  • Full-fat dairy and raw onion/garlic (for some)

Foods to eat

  • Vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, cucumber, potatoes
  • Non-citrus fruits: bananas, melon, pears, apples
  • Oatmeal, brown rice, whole-grain bread
  • Lean proteins: skinless poultry, white fish, tofu
  • Healthy fats: avocado, olive oil, walnuts (moderate)
  • Herbal teas: ginger, chamomile, liquorice root

Sample 3-day meal plan

Day 1 — Breakfast: oatmeal + banana. Lunch: grilled chicken + brown rice + steamed broccoli. Dinner: baked salmon + mashed sweet potato + green beans.

Day 2 — Breakfast: smoothie (banana, oats, almond butter, oat milk). Lunch: tuna salad lettuce wraps. Dinner: tofu stir-fry + jasmine rice.

Day 3 — Breakfast: avocado toast on sourdough. Lunch: lentil soup + whole grain crackers. Dinner: lean turkey burger + roast potatoes + salad.

Lifestyle changes that help

  1. Eat smaller, more frequent meals (5 small instead of 3 big).
  2. Finish eating 3 hours before you lie down.
  3. Elevate the head of your bed by 15–20 cm.
  4. Lose weight if your BMI is above 25 — even 5 kg often resolves reflux.
  5. Quit smoking and reduce alcohol.
When to see a doctor: if reflux happens more than twice weekly for 3+ weeks, if you lose weight unintentionally, or if you have trouble swallowing — see your GP for an evaluation. Long-term untreated reflux can scar the oesophagus.

Final thoughts

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