The best drinks for acid reflux are ones that are low in acid, don’t relax the valve between your stomach and esophagus, and help neutralize or dilute stomach acid. Plain water is the simplest option, but alkaline water, plant-based milks, ginger tea, and certain vegetable juices can also help. Just as important as what you drink is knowing which beverages make reflux worse.
Water and Alkaline Water
Plain water is the safest, most reliable choice. It dilutes stomach acid, helps clear acid from the esophagus, and has no ingredients that trigger symptoms. Sipping water throughout the day, especially after meals, keeps things moving in the right direction.
Alkaline water takes this a step further. Water with a pH of 8.8 has been shown in lab studies to permanently inactivate pepsin, a stomach enzyme that damages the esophageal lining when it travels upward during reflux. Regular tap water (typically pH 6.5 to 7.5) doesn’t have this effect. You can find bottled alkaline water at most grocery stores, or use a home alkalizing filter. While the lab results are promising, drinking alkaline water works best as a complement to other reflux strategies rather than a standalone fix.
Ginger Tea
Ginger has a long reputation as a stomach soother, and there’s real physiology behind it. In a controlled study, ginger roughly cut in half the time it took the stomach to empty its contents: about 13 minutes with ginger versus 27 minutes with a placebo. Faster gastric emptying means less food sitting in your stomach pressing against the valve at the top, which reduces the opportunity for acid to splash upward.
To make ginger tea, slice fresh ginger root and steep it in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes. Keep it simple. Adding honey is fine, but skip lemon, which is highly acidic. Commercially bottled ginger teas work too, though some contain citric acid or other additives worth checking for on the label.
Plant-Based Milks
Almond milk is one of the more popular reflux-friendly drinks because it’s naturally alkaline, with a pH around 8.4, compared to cow’s milk at about 6.8. That alkaline profile helps neutralize stomach acid on contact. It’s also low in fat, which matters because fat slows digestion and can relax the lower esophageal sphincter, the muscle that keeps acid in your stomach.
Oat milk and coconut milk are similarly gentle options, though neither has been studied as specifically as almond milk for reflux. The key with any plant-based milk is choosing unsweetened varieties. Added sugars can increase acid production and make symptoms worse. Avoid chocolate-flavored versions entirely, since chocolate is a well-known reflux trigger.
Cow’s milk deserves a quick note here. A cold glass of whole milk may feel soothing going down, but its fat content can backfire within an hour by increasing acid production. If you prefer dairy, skim or low-fat milk is a better bet.
Low-Acid Vegetable Juices
Certain vegetable juices sit in the mildly acidic to near-neutral range, making them safe for most people with reflux. Carrot juice (pH 5.9 to 6.4) and beet juice (pH 5.3 to 6.6) are among the gentlest options. Cucumber juice falls in a similar range at pH 5.1 to 5.8. These aren’t alkaline enough to actively neutralize acid the way almond milk or alkaline water can, but they won’t aggravate your symptoms the way citrus or tomato juice will.
Blending these vegetables at home gives you control over what goes in. Store-bought vegetable juice blends often contain tomato as a base, which has a pH as low as 4.0 and is one of the most common reflux triggers. Always check the ingredients.
Aloe Vera Juice
Aloe vera has anti-inflammatory properties that may soothe an irritated esophagus. In a small clinical trial, participants who took 10 milliliters of aloe vera syrup daily for four weeks saw a reduction in heartburn symptoms. That’s roughly two teaspoons a day, a modest amount.
If you want to try aloe vera juice, look for products labeled as purified or decolorized. Unpurified aloe contains compounds called anthraquinones that act as laxatives and can cause cramping. Start with a small amount and see how your body responds.
What to Avoid Drinking
Some beverages are reliably bad for reflux, and cutting them out often helps more than adding new drinks does.
- Coffee and caffeinated tea: Caffeine relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter, making it easier for acid to escape upward. Decaf coffee is somewhat better but still mildly acidic.
- Citrus juice: Orange juice, grapefruit juice, and lemonade are all highly acidic and directly irritate an already inflamed esophagus.
- Carbonated drinks: The bubbles expand your stomach and increase pressure on the sphincter. Diet and regular sodas are equally problematic.
- Alcohol: It relaxes the sphincter, increases acid production, and slows digestion. Wine and spirits tend to be the worst offenders, but beer causes problems too.
- Tomato juice: Its low pH and high acid content make it one of the most irritating options for people with reflux.
Skip the Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is one of the most commonly recommended home remedies for acid reflux online, but there is no published medical research supporting its use for heartburn. Harvard Health Publishing has noted the complete absence of studies on this topic. Since vinegar is itself highly acidic (pH around 2 to 3), drinking it could irritate your esophagus further and erode tooth enamel over time. This is one popular remedy worth skipping.
How and When You Drink Matters
Even the most reflux-friendly drink can cause problems if you chug a large amount right before lying down. A full stomach, whether from food or liquid, increases pressure on the sphincter. Finish your last significant drink at least one to two hours before bed to give your body time to process it while you’re still upright.
During the day, sipping smaller amounts more frequently works better than drinking large glasses at once. If you tend to get reflux after meals, a small glass of room-temperature water or alkaline water about 30 minutes after eating can help dilute residual acid without overfilling your stomach. Cold drinks aren’t harmful, but room temperature or warm liquids are gentler on a sensitive esophagus.