Foods to Eat With Barrett's Esophagus: A List of Safe Foods to Eat to Reduce Symptoms of Heartburn, Acid Reflux, and GERD, and Foods to Avoid

2010-08-11

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Most people who have Barrett’s esophagus suffer from symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) as well. Because the condition results in the same uncomfortable symptoms, the recommended foods to eat with Barrett’s esophagus are nearly identical to recommendations for dealing with GERD.

Barrett’s esophagus is a condition where the lining of the esophagus becomes replaced, bit by bit, with tissue resembling the lining of the intestines. In itself, Barrett’s is asymptomatic, but most people diagnosed with it also have heartburn and acid reflux.

Eat a Low-Fat and Low-Acid Diet

Low-fat meals move through the digestive system more quickly, lowering the risk of acid reflux coming up into the esophagus. Focus on low-acid foods as well. Foods that most people find do not cause their Barrett’s esophagus to act up include:

Fruits:

apples
bananas

Fruits to eat occasionally include peaches, blueberries, grapes, raspberries, strawberries, and cranberries.

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Vegetables:

broccoli
carrots
green beans
potatoes

Vegetables to eat occasionally include the allium family (garlic, leeks, onion, scallions) and sauerkraut.

Grains:

bread
cereal
cornbread
graham crackers
pretzels
rice

Grains to eat occasionally include muffins, garlic bread, and granola.

Dairy:

egg whites and egg substitute
feta cheese
goat cheese
low-fat or fat-free sour cream
low-fat or fat-free cream cheese
soy cheese

Dairy to eat occasionally includes cheddar, mozzarella, or cottage cheese; yogurt, and milk.

Meat:

lean ground beef
steak
skinless chicken breast
fish cooked without fat

Meat to eat occasionally includes tuna or chicken salad, hot dogs, ham, whole eggs, and fried fish

Snacks:

fat-free cookies
red licorice
jelly beans
baked potato chips

Sorry about the bad snack news, but a sweet snack to try occasionally is a low-fat cookie.

All the listed foods should be completely safe to eat with Barrett’s esophagus, and the “occasional” foods are just that: try them from time to time but don’t make them a daily habit, and you’ll be fine. Not everyone is sensitive to the same foods, so pay attention to your body’s reaction to foods — you may find that a “safe” or “occasional” food doesn’t work well for you personally.

Foods to Avoid Completely

Chocolate — it contains methylxanthine, which can aggravate the condition
Citrus juices — they are high in acid
Mint — many people find that spearmint, peppermint, and other mint products trigger acid reflux and aggravate Barrett’s esophagus
Tomato products — they are also high in acid
Fatty and fried foods — their longer digestion time makes acid reflux more likely

Also avoid caffeine, because it promotes gastroesophageal reflux by relaxing the muscle at the bottom of the esophagus. The same goes for alcohol. And quit smoking, because nicotine will also stimulate reflux.

In sum, try a low-fat, low-acid diet to find foods to eat with Barrett’s esophagus. Avoiding heartburn triggers is critical to keeping symptoms of GERD in check. Use this list of foods as a reference, and hopefully it will help you control your symptoms with less medication.