Heartburn – Safe And Unsafe Foods

There are certain foods that make heartburn symptoms worse so they should be avoided at all costs. Then there are foods that have no risk of causing heartburn, which can be eaten. Then there are particular foods the have a risk of causing heartburn that should be eaten in moderation.

Foods That Are Unsafe With Heartburn

Then of course there are foods that are known to cause heartburn and indigestion problems. These foods should be avoided at all costs unless you have determined they have no effect on your heartburn and indigestion. However, even if they do not cause problems it is a good idea to only eat these foods in moderation.

• Fruits: orange juice, lemon, lemonade, grapefruit juice, cranberry juice and tomato.
• Meat: ground beef chuck, marbled sirloin, chicken nuggets and buffalo wings.
• Vegetables: mashed potatoes, French fries and raw onions.
• Dairy: sour cream, milk shake, ice cream and regular cottage cheese.
• Grains: macaroni and cheese and spaghetti with sauce.
• Fats and Oils: creamy, oil or vinegar salad dressings.
• Beverages: liquor, wine, either decaffeinated or regular coffee and either decaffeinated or regular tea.
• Sweets and Desserts: high-fat butter cookies, brownies, chocolate, doughnuts, corn chips and regular potato chips.

Foods That Are Moderate With Heartburn

Then there are foods that have a little risk of causing heartburn. You should eat these foods in moderation until you can determine if they pose a heartburn risk for you. Then they should be either avoided or added to your regular food depending on your body's reaction to the foods.

• Fruit: low-acid orange juice, apple cider, peach, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, grapes and dried cranberries.
• Meat: lean ground beef, chicken salad, scrambled eggs in butter, fried eggs, fried fish, tuna salad, beef or pork hot dogs and ham.
• Vegetables: garlic, cooked onions, leeks, sauerkraut and scallions.
• Dairy: yogurt, two percent or skim milk, frozen yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese, cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese.
• Grains: garlic bread, muffins and granola cereal.
• Fats and Oils: ketchup.
• Beverages: non-alcoholic wine, beer, non-alcoholic beer, cola and root beer.
• Sweets and Desserts: low-fat cookies.

Foods That Are Safe With Heartburn

The following is a list of common foods that don't cause any heartburn.

• Fruit: apple either fresh or juice and bananas.
• Meat: extra-lean ground beef, London broil steak, skinless chicken breast, egg whites, egg substitutes and fish with no added fat.
• Vegetables: baked potato, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, green beans and peas.
• Dairy: feta or goat cheese, fat-free cream cheese, fat-free sour cream and low-fat soy cheese.
• Grains: multi-grain or white bread, bran or oatmeal cereal, corn bread, graham crackers, pretzels, brown or white rice and rice cakes.
• Fats and Oils: low-fat salad dressing.
• Beverages: mineral water.
• Sweets and Desserts: fat-free cookies, jelly beans, red licorice, baked potato chips.

These lists are by no means wide and do not incorporate all the food on the market today. If there are other foods you should use them in moderation and determine to what extent they aggravate your heartburn or indigestion and then determine the proper course of action to take with the food.

In addition to preventing your indigestion and heartburn, adopting a better diet will help your body in many other ways and provide you a healthier life.