Bananas
It’s no secret that highly acidic fruits, like oranges, grapefruit, or berries, can aggravate reflux. That’s why Foroutan suggests reaching for milder fruits that can help keep everything moving properly, like bananas.
“Foods that are easy to digest, but also high in fiber, are a really nice combination for reflux prevention,” says Foroutan. “Fruit is nice because it’s mostly water and it moves through the stomach quickly.”
Foroutan and Dr. Sonpal both say bananas are an especially great option because they’re soothing to the gut and may even help neutralize stomach acids to keep them from building up in the esophagus.
Oatmeal
Foroutan recommends bland whole grains, like oatmeal, because they’re high in fiber. Oatmeal might be particularly powerful, since its thick, gelatinous texture helps close the esophageal sphincter, so you don’t have as much acid splashing up, Dr. Sonpal adds.
He says that oatmeal tends to be a go-to for those who experience acid reflux with their morning coffee, because it balances out the highly acidic brew.
