If you struggle with GERD, you’ve probably already heard about or experienced firsthand the connection between your symptoms and acidic foods. “Don’t eat citrus,” they say, but why? Why does acidic food make GERD worse? We know that eating acidic foods doesn’t cause GERD – that’s the lower esophageal sphincter’s (LES’s) fault. However, acidic foods complicate an already existent pathway and make your symptoms worse.
So, naturally, avoiding acidic foods when you have GERD is the best course of action. So, then, what foods are high in acid and what are the least acidic foods you can eat so that you can avoid triggers? Let’s jump in and take a look.
What Foods Are High in Acid?
#1: Tomato Products
pH level: 4.0 - 5.0
Tomatoes themselves are quite acidic – fresh tomatoes are around 4.5 pH, and some tomato products like puree or sauce can be as low as 4.0 pH. If you’re cooking for yourself, keep in mind that adding sugar does not neutralize acid. If you’re looking to make your tomato sauce more GERD-friendly, here are a couple of tips:
Use less of it in your cooking – opt for light-sauce foods.
Add small pinches of baking soda to your tomato sauces, but be careful not to salt the food beforehand. Adding baking soda to the sauce will cause a chemical acid base reaction that results in a salt being formed. Salt your dish after adding baking soda to neutralize the acidity to your liking.
#2: Citrus
pH level: 2.0 - 6.0
It’s pretty well known that a lemon is acidic – that’s what gives you that “sour” taste! However, just how acidic some citrus fruits are is less known. Lemon juice rings in at 2.0 - 3.0 pH, in the ballpark of our actual stomach acid (which is 1.5 - 3.5). The component in lemons that makes it so acidic is aptly named citric acid. Citric acid is also present in other fruits like limes, oranges, grapefruit, and most berries. Interestingly, vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is also in these fruits, and its pH is 5.4.
#3: Some Dairy Products
pH level: 4.4 - 6.9
Due to lactic acid, some dairy products sit below neutral in the pH range. Some dairy products are more acidic than others, because there might be more lactic acid in them. Buttermilk, for example, can be as acidic as 4.41 pH. In general, milk is fairly neutral, but some people find that milk aggravates their GERD by making their LES looser for a short time. Keep in mind that there are plenty of dairy alternatives – just be careful about added sugar.
#4: Some Meats
pH level: 5.0 - 6.5
Red meat, pork, and chicken are mildly acidic, usually reading between 5.4 and 6.2 on the pH scale, while the pH of different types of fish are usually in the ballpark of 6.0 - 7.0. If you’re looking for a less acidic protein option, going with fish or legumes (pH 6.5 - 7.5) as swaps can help you reduce the acid load in your stomach.
#5: Sugary Foods?
pH level: 7.0
Technically speaking, sugar itself is not acidic. It has neither free OH- ions nor H+ cations to release into a solution. However, we consider sugary foods and drinks as acidic because, in processing the sugar, the body tends to create lactic acid as a byproduct. Sugar is also never by itself – it’s often used to “soften the acidity” of things, not because it chemically can do so, but because it reduces the “tang” of acidic compounds – like in lemonade!
What Are the Least Acidic Foods to Eat for GERD?
As far as picking low-acid foods goes, your best options are leafy greens, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, some fruit (like melons), and fish. Low-acid foods are certainly abundant, but pairing them with flavorful sauces and other sides can be difficult. When you struggle with GERD, you not only have to keep in mind not only the acidities of certain ingredients but also how they react with your LES.
Related: How To Have A Heartburn-Friendly Breakfast
Ready to Kick Your Acid Reflux to the Curb?
Here at the Tampa Bay Reflux Center, we want you to live your best life – and that usually means being GERD-free! If you’ve tried everything, including lifestyle and diet changes and still have life-disrupting reflux, get in touch with our team of reflux experts. We can help you kick your reflux to the curb for good with our reflux surgery options.
