The Best Foods and Drinks for Heartburn — and What to Avoid

Many people want to know the best way to get rid of heartburn, a symptom that’s common in people with acid reflux. And that’s no surprise, since acid reflux affects up to 20% of people. 

But it might seem like you hear more about the triggers for heartburn than how to get rid of it. Even if you do all the right things, you may still experience acid reflux from time to time. So, let’s review the food choices and medications that can help when you have heartburn. 

What are the best types of foods for heartburn?

You may be familiar with the foods that trigger heartburn for you. Common culprits include spicy foods, fried foods, tomatoes, and citrus fruits — to name a few. But are there foods that actually help heartburn?

The truth is that no food can actually treat heartburn. This is because acid reflux can happen when digesting any type of food. But there are foods that may be less likely to trigger heartburn, which may help if you’re prone to acid reflux. 

People with heartburn report that certain foods are easier to tolerate than others. These foods tend to have:

• High fiber: Fiber helps you feel more full, so you’re less likely to overeat (which worsens reflux). And eating more fiber has been shown to decrease heartburn symptoms.

• High water content: Foods that are high in water may help dilute and weaken acid in the stomach. 

• Low acidity: You may have heard about acidic foods versus alkaline foods, and how this affects digestion. Foods that tend to be low in acid (and have a high pH) may be gentler on the esophagus.

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• Home remedies for acid reflux: Making lifestyle changes, like changing when you eat, can help treat acid reflux.

• Best medications for heartburn: Learn about over-the-counter (OTC) medicines for acid reflux to understand which might be best for your symptoms. 

• When to see a healthcare professional for heartburn: Sometimes reflux can be a sign of a more serious condition — like ulcers and gastritis — that needs more urgent medical evaluation.

Foods that help heartburn

Foods that may help heartburn are those that follow the patterns above: high fiber, high water content, and low acidity. Keeping that in mind, it may help to include (or swap in) some of the specific foods listed below.

High-fiber carbs

Starches tend to be lower in acidity than other foods. And starchy foods with higher fiber content are a great starting point. Examples include: 

• Potatoes

• Corn

• Oatmeal

• Beans

• Lentils

Low-acidity proteins

Plant-based proteins — like nuts and beans — tend to be lower in acid than animal-based proteins. So, they’re a great choice for reflux-friendly foods. If you prefer meat, poultry and seafood choices with lower acid content include: 

• Chicken

• Turkey

• Freshwater fish

• Shrimp

• Salmon

• Herring

High water-content veggies

Vegetables naturally have a high water and fiber content. And most veggies have low acidity levels, giving you the best of all worlds for reflux prevention. These include:

• Celery

• Cucumber

• Lettuces and kale

• Squash

• Asparagus

• Broccoli 

• Cauliflower

• Green beans

Safe fruits

Fruit is another great high-fiber, high-water food. Some fruits — like citrus — are high in acidity. But this isn’t true for all fruits. 

Fruits with lower acid content include:

• Watermelons

• Cantaloupes

• Bananas

• Dates

Broth-based soups

Broth-based soups are made with water, rather than cream. Broths are often made from simmered meat, bones, and/or vegetables. Broth-based soups are a great way to enjoy a high water-content meal. 

Try soups with a lower acidity, like: 

• Bone broth soup

• Chicken soup

• Mushroom and barley soup

• Udon noodle soup

There’s no scientific evidence to say that any of the above foods are definitely helpful when it comes to reflux. But that doesn’t mean dietary changes won’t help. It’s important to listen to your body. Consider keeping a food journal so you can track which foods help and which ones hurt.

What are the best drinks for heartburn?

The best drinks for heartburn are drinks that won’t trigger your symptoms. Some drinks are touted as “cures” for heartburn pain, but the scientific research doesn’t back up these claims. Let’s take a look at what the science says about which drinks may help heartburn. 

Milk and heartburn

Milk shows up on the “good” and “bad” lists when it comes to drinks for heartburn. That’s probably because milk has plenty of calcium and protein — and studies have shown that both can lower reflux symptoms. But milk also contains fat, which is often a trigger for reflux.

So, what does the research show? While there aren’t many studies on the topic, the research suggests that drinking a lot of milk —whether it’s low fat or high fat — doesn’t trigger reflux symptoms. So, milk is probably a “safe” drink that’s unlikely to make your reflux worse. 

Water and heartburn

Water is a simple and often-overlooked drink for heartburn. Drinking water has been shown to lower the acidity in your stomach within a minute of drinking. This is probably because it immediately dilutes the acid in your stomach. And replacing other drinks — like coffee, tea, or soda — with water has been shown to reduce reflux symptoms. 

Some people believe drinking alkaline water might be especially helpful. Alkaline water has a higher pH than regular water, meaning it’s less acidic. One study found that drinking alkaline water, along with eating a plant-based Mediterranean diet, led to improvement in reflux symptoms. But it’s hard to know if the decreased heartburn was from diet changes or alkaline water. 

Another study found that drinking 1.5 liters of alkaline water per day improved reflux symptoms more than just regular water. But the study was funded by an alkaline water manufacturer, so it may be biased. 

While the jury is out on alkaline water, drinking more water in general is a safe bet when it comes to reflux. 

Apple cider vinegar and heartburn

Apple cider vinegar has been touted as a miracle cure for everything from weight loss to bloating. So, it’s no surprise that some people believe it can help with heartburn. But there’s no evidence that it’s helpful. In fact, studies show that apple cider vinegar can actually slow down how quickly food leaves your stomach. This could actually make acid reflux worse instead of helping it. 

Also, apple cider vinegar is considered an acidic drink, so it’s more likely that it might worsen, rather than help, reflux symptoms. When it comes to this potential remedy, you’re better off avoiding it. Reach for a glass of water instead. 

Drinks that may cause heartburn

Certain drinks seem more likely to cause heartburn, although the research linking these drinks to heartburn isn’t strong. The best approach? Pay attention to how you feel. If a drink worsens your symptoms, it’s best to avoid it. 

Common potential triggers include: 

• Coffee: Coffee is often considered a “trigger food” for heartburn because it can make it easier for food to move from the stomach to your throat. 

• Soda: It’s a common myth that soda might help heartburn. But studies show that people who drink more soda are more likely to have reflux. 

• Alcohol: Drinking alcohol regularly increases the chance of having reflux. And, the more often you drink alcohol, the more likely you are to develop heartburn. 

• Fruit juices: Many fruit juices — like orange juice — are acidic, so it’s thought that they might make heartburn worse. But there isn’t much scientific evidence to support this. 

Keep in mind that some of these drinks might be fine in moderation, but harmful if you drink a lot. One study found that when people drank 6 cups or more of soda, coffee, and tea, they were more likely to have reflux symptoms. But drinking fewer than 6 cups per day didn’t lead to an increased risk. 

Medicines that can get rid of heartburn

There are several medicines that have been proven to help get rid of reflux if you experience heartburn often. There are three main categories of medicines that can help. And they can all be found over the counter (OTC). 

Medications for heartburn include:

• Antacids: Antacids work by neutralizing stomach acid. They often start working within minutes. Antacids are best for people who have infrequent episodes of heartburn and only need to take medicine every once in a while. Examples include calcium carbonate (Tums) and magnesium hydroxide (Milk of Magnesia). 

• H2 blockers (histamine-2 antagonists): These can treat or prevent reflux. They start working within 1 to 3 hours and should be taken before eating. Examples include Famotidine (Pepcid) and Cimetidine (Tagamet).

• Proton-pump inhibitors: These aren’t meant for fast relief. Instead, proton-pump inhibitors are taken every day for longer periods (weeks to months) to keep stomach acid production down. Examples include omeprazole (Prilosec), lansoprazole (Prevacid), and esomeprazole (Nexium). 

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Written by:

Katie E. Golden, MD

Katie E. Golden, MD, is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and a medical editor at GoodRx.

Reviewed by:

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP, has more than 15 years of experience as an attending pediatrician in a variety of clinical settings. She has worked in a large academic center in an urban city, a small community hospital, a private practice, and an urgent care clinic.

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