Hyperacidity is a general term for when the lining of your stomach becomes inflamed. It also goes by the name gastritis and can emerge suddenly or gradually over time. Either way, hyperacidity can be painful and frustrating, often presenting with symptoms like acid reflux and heartburn. Choosing the right food for hyperacidity can help with the symptoms and perhaps stop the problem from happening in the first place.
Before we talk about the food, let’s look a little more at the underlying problem.
Gastritis or hyperacidity is often caused by a bacterial infection, the same type that can cause stomach ulcers. Using pain relievers too regularly can contribute to hyperacidity as well, along with excessive drinking.
Hyperacidity can cause some long-term complications, including increased stomach cancer risk or ulcers. However, most of the time, it is a non-serious problem that will resolve with treatment. In some cases, making the right food decisions may be enough to resolve most, if not all, of your symptoms.
If you’re looking for more ideas, check out our list of drinks for acid reflux. Like the foods on this list, those drinks won’t make your symptoms worse and could even help you to feel better.
Best Foods For Hyperacidity
- Potatoes
- Whole Grains
- Rice
- Apples
- Bananas
- Lean Poultry
- Lean Cuts of Meat
- Fresh Herbs
- Mushrooms
- Oatmeal
- Fish
- Low Fat Sauces
- Fruits and Vegetables
- Low Fat Dairy Foods
- A Plant-Focused Diet
Potatoes
Focusing on bland foods is one of the best ways to combat hyperacidity. This means avoiding anything that is oily, highly spiced, or is too heavy.
Potatoes are a good way to avoid major triggers, as they don’t have much flavor. They’re also a source of complex carbs, which are the healthy type of carbs. They’re digested more slowly than simple carbs, which is exactly what you need.
However, the way that the potatoes are cooked makes a huge difference. Mashed potatoes one of the most popular choices, as they’re soft and easy-to-eat. You could make baked potatoes too.
Avoid frying the potatoes, as fried food is a common trigger for hyperacidity.
Regular potatoes aren’t your only option here. You can turn to sweet potatoes too. These have a little more flavor than regular potatoes and also contain beta-carotene, which is a potent antioxidant.
Whole Grains
Whole grains are a staple food that many of us aren’t getting enough of. Perhaps that’s not surprising, as there’s been strong modern rhetoric around the idea that carbs are unhealthy and may contribute to inflammation and many diseases.
Some of the concerns about carbs are realistic. A diet that’s heavy in processed foods and simple carbs can easily lead to obesity, low energy, and diabetes. However, relying on high-quality complex carbs offers health benefits instead.
If you want proof of that, think about the Mediterranean diet. This way of eating is famous for its health benefits and may help you to live longer. Whole grains feature on the diet, along with other sources of carbs.
As for hyperacidity, whole grains are relevant because they’re nutritious and shouldn’t contribute to your symptoms. Options here include brown rice, oatmeal, and wheat, along with pseudograins like quinoa.
You don’t need to use the grains on their own either. Products that rely on whole grains can work well too. The trick is to find ones that are minimally processed, aren’t fried, and aren’t heavily seasoned.
Rice
Rice is a fantastic stable ingredient for bulking out meals. You’ll see it used in countless recipes and meal plans. There are also countless types to choose from, including white rice, brown rice, jasmine rice, basmati rice, and even black rice.
White rice is a little controversial, as this is a refined grain. The refining process strips away some key nutrients, including fiber, making it a less nutritious grain than brown rice.
Nevertheless, white rice is often relied upon. It can be useful diet addition for hyperacidity too, as white rice is naturally bland. This can make it an easy choice if you’re dealing with regular acid reflux symptoms.
Apples
While many types of fruit work well with hyperacidity, apples are an ideal go-to choice. They’re an easy way to buffer the acidity and shouldn’t set off any symptoms.
Besides that, apples are often inexpensive, they’re portable, and have a decent shelf-life. This makes them more practical than most other types of fruit.
If you don’t feel like biting into an apple, what about apple puree instead? This is much easier to eat and you’re getting all the same nutrients.
Bananas
Bananas are another safe bet with hyperacidity. They’re fairly bland and can even help to calm your stomach down.
However, you’ll need to be a little more careful with bananas. Their sugar content is on the high side, which is why most low carb dieters avoid bananas entirely.
You can also use bananas in a smoothie. Smoothies are surprisingly good when you’re dealing with hyperacidity, as you can combine multiple useful ingredients. Try using low fat milk or even plant milk as the base. You’ll just need to avoid any trigger fruits, particularly citrus fruits.
Lean Poultry
Fat often leads to hyperacidity symptoms, which makes fatty cuts of meat a poor choice. Lean cuts are a much safer option and what could be better than poultry? After all, chicken breast is often seen as the perfect food for dieters. It provides plenty of protein and nutrients, without much fat at all.
Even the fatty cuts of poultry tend to be leaner than many cuts of red meat.
The flavor of poultry is an advantage too. This is mild enough that it shouldn’t set off any hyperacidity symptoms, but there’s still enough flavor there that you can still enjoy chicken or turkey.
Lean Cuts of Meat
You can rely on red meat and pork too, provided that you’re focusing on the leaner cuts. Using lean cuts is crucial, as red meat can be high in saturated fat, which can easily make hyperacidity worse.
It’s also worth trimming the fat off your meat whenever you can and being careful with how you cook it. The goal is to keep your fat intake low. This is one of the main ways that you’ll keep your symptoms in check.
Fresh Herbs
A diet for acidity can mean that you’re cutting out strong spices or using spices in small amounts. This can be frustrating, as you have fewer options for making your meals flavorful.
Fresh herbs are a good way around the problem. They still provide your meal with flavor, but they’re much less intense than dried herbs. You may be able to tolerate fresh herbs even if dried herbs give you acid reflux.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms can be a useful addition to your diet. They don’t tend make your symptoms worse and they’re a delicious source of nutrients. B vitamins and selenium are two important reasons to eat mushrooms regularly.
Plus, mushrooms are sometimes called adaptogens. They’re able to help with health in various ways, like by promoting immune system function. The exact benefits depend on the type of mushroom that you choose.
There are plenty of different mushrooms out there, so why not experiment? Try including multiple types in your diet regularly for a broad array of benefits.
Oatmeal
Oats are a type of whole grain, so they have the advantages that you see with most whole grains. This includes being high in fiber and low in fat. However, oatmeal has some other benefits too.
One is that oatmeal is rich in selenium. This important nutrient can help with your symptoms. The gelatinous nature of oatmeal also helps to coat your stomach lining. This is perfect for calming your stomach and making you feel better.
Fish
While many of us don’t eat seafood all that often, fish remains an important part of the diet. One reason is that it is packed full of nutrients. Some are the same as you’ll find in plants and vegetables, while others are different.
Plus, fish is a quality source of protein. This means that you’re getting the amino acids your body needs, including ones that it can’t produce on its own.
Of course, fish is most famous for its omega-3 fatty acid content. As the name suggests, omega-3 fatty acids are a type of fat. However, they’re also very good for you. A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids has been linked to benefits like improved heart health and even longer life.
Some types of fish, like salmon and tuna, are fatty. This makes them excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Don’t worry though. The fat in fish generally doesn’t act as a trigger for your symptoms.
You can also turn to white fish, like cod or tilapia. These tend to be lower in fat, so their omega-3 content is lower too. The difference isn’t all bad though, as this type of fish is a lean source of healthy protein and still contains plenty of nutrients.
Low Fat Sauces
Sauces are another easy way to provide your meals with extra flavor. The trick here is to focus on sauces that are low in fat and sodium. Using a dip like pesto as a sauce can work well too.
Commercial sauces could be problematic, as many of these have added salt or preservatives, which could make your symptoms worse. Paying close attention to ingredient labels can help you get around the problem.
Or, better yet, why not make your own sauces? There’s no shortage of delicious recipes out there, including ones featured on food blogs. Some bloggers create fantastic variations on regular dips and sauces.
Fruits and Vegetables
Many fruits and vegetables can still be enjoyed, even if you struggle with hyperacidity. They’re important additions to your diet too, as fruits and vegetables contain plenty of different nutrients, not to mention all of their phytochemicals and antioxidants.
The trick is to avoid any fruits and vegetables that might cause flare ups. This problem is most common with fruit. For example, you’ll probably need to avoid tomatoes, along with citrus fruits. Avocados may be an issue too, as they’re high in fat.
Vegetables are a safer bet. You can enjoy most of these without any issues at all. The main exception is onions, as some people trigger off them. Still, most recipes work just as well without the onions, so you’re not using too much.
You’ll need to think about how to cook vegetables too. Baking, broiling, boiling, or steaming them can all be safe approaches. Some seasoning can be used. Just keep this on the light side so that you don’t trigger any symptoms. Avoid frying, particularly deep frying, as this can make your experiences much worse.
Still, people’s bodies can react quite differently to the same foods. It may take some experimenting before you know which options are safe for you and which ones you’re sensitive to.
Low Fat Dairy Foods
Dairy foods include milk and all the various products that are made from it, like cheese, yogurt, and cream, and butter. While dairy is sometimes controversial, it’s also well-recognized as a source of nutrients.
Some dairy products, like kefir and yogurt, may contain probiotics too. These beneficial bacteria can help to promote your gut health, which could then help with your hyperacidity in the long-term.
Dairy products are helpful in the short-term too. They’re often bland and can be soothing. This is why a glass of milk or even a little ice cream can often calm an upset stomach.
Because fat often triggers hyperacidity symptoms, low fat dairy products are the best ones. Look for ones that have been minimally processed and don’t contain many additives.
Pay particular attention to the ingredients labels for yogurt. Yogurt products run the gambit. Too many of them are packed full of sugar and preservatives, not to mention artificial flavors and colors.
A Plant-Focused Diet
As we already mentioned, lean cuts of meat are a good way to decrease hyperacidity. This way you’re keeping your fat intake to a minimum, while still getting the nutrients that meat has to offer.
If your symptoms persist after doing so, why not change your overall diet, rather than the individual foods that you eat? Switching to a plant-focused diet can be one way to do this.
Even a mostly vegetarian diet can dramatically cut down acid reflux symptoms. This isn’t too surprising, as many of the trigger foods are animal-based. You could go further and focus on a vegan diet, where you’re cutting out all animal-sourced foods.
A Mediterranean diet is another option to consider. This type of diet relies on fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains as key components. Meat and fish are still included, but these don’t feature as heavily as in a Western diet.
In fact, any diet that focuses heavily on plant-based food should help with acid reflux symptoms. Just remember to adapt your eating to how your body responds. You may be able to eat some trigger foods without any problem, while getting acid reflux symptoms from unexpected foods. After all, everyone’s body responds a little differently.
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