This is some general advice if you are going to be following an acid reflux diet. Eating large meals and eating just before going to bed are not recommended when you are on an acid reflux diet. You are also supposed to avoid fat and/or spicy foods. All of these habits can lead to the increased production of stomach acid that may enter and cause damage to the esophagus. This is particularly true if the closing muscles do not work as they should. The consequence is that you end up with permanent heartburn.

There are many foods to consider when you are speaking about an acid reflux diet. There are foods that should be avoided, foods that can be consumed in moderation and foods that one can definitely have. The first section of the acid reflux diet will deal with the foods that are to be avoided:

Fruit - Lemon, orange juice, lemonade, cranberry juice, tomato and grapefruit juice

Vegetables - Mashed potatoes, raw onion and French fries

Meat - Ground beef or chuck, chicken nuggets, marbled sirloin, buffalo wings

Dairy - Milk shake, sour cream, ice cream and regular cottage cheese

Grains - Spaghetti with sauce and macaroni and cheese

Beverages - Wine, liquor, all coffee whether decaffeinated or regular, all tea whether decaffeinated or regular

Fats/oils - creamy salad dressings, oil and vinegar salad dressing

Sweets/desserts - Chocolate, butter cookies, high-fat, brownies, doughnut, potato chips that are fried and corn chips

The next list of foods are considered to be safe foods if you are on an acid reflux diet:

Fruit - fresh apple, dried apple, banana, apple juice, pineapple, papaya( these help to neutralize stomach acid)

Vegetables - carrots, baked potato, broccoli, cabbage, peas, green beans

Meat - extra-lean ground beef, skinless chicken breast, London Broil steak, fish with no added fat, egg whites, egg substitutes

Dairy - feta or goat cheese, fat-free sour cream, fat-free cream cheese, low-fat soy cheese

Grains - Corn bread, multi-grain or white bread, graham crackers, bran or oatmeal cereal, pretzels, brown or white rice, rice cakes

Beverages - Mineral water

Fats/oils - low-fat salad dressings

Sweets/desserts - fat-free cookies, red licorice, jelly beans, baked potato chips

The following foods are to be consumed in moderation when you are following an acid reflux diet:

Fruit - low-acid orange juice, peach, apple cider, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, dried cranberries, grapes

Vegetables - onion that is cooked, garlic, leeks, scallions, sauerkraut

Meat - lean ground beef, scrambled eggs in butter, chicken salad, fried eggs, tuna salad, fried fish, beef or pork hot dogs, ham

Dairy - Yogurt, frozen yogurt, 2% or skim milk, low-fat cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese

Grains - Granola cereal, garlic bread, muffin

Beverages - Non-alcoholic wine, non-alcoholic beer, cola, beer, root beer

Fats/oils - Ketchup

Sweets/desserts - low-fat cookie

This is by no means a comprehensive list of the foods that you can consume and avoid on an acid reflux diet but it is a start. When you find that your reflux disease is somewhat under control, then perhaps you can slowly add a food from the forbidden list to see how you will react to it. If it makes your acid reflux worse, then you know to avoid that food for good.