Several drinks can help neutralize stomach acid or soothe your esophagus when heartburn strikes. Plain water, nonfat milk, certain herbal teas, and alkaline water are among the most reliable options. What you avoid drinking matters just as much as what you reach for, since some popular beverages can make the burning worse.
Water: The Simplest Fix
Plain water is the easiest and most accessible remedy. It dilutes stomach acid and helps wash acid back down from the esophagus into the stomach where it belongs. Sipping water rather than gulping a large amount at once works best, since flooding your stomach with a high volume of fluid can cause distension that actually triggers more reflux. If you tend to feel bloated or notice worsening reflux when drinking with meals, try drinking water between meals instead.
Alkaline Water
Alkaline water with a pH of 8.8 goes a step further than regular water. At that pH level, it permanently deactivates pepsin, the stomach enzyme that damages esophageal tissue when it splashes upward during reflux. Even if the water later becomes acidic in your stomach, the pepsin it already neutralized doesn’t reactivate. Alkaline water also has roughly eight times the buffering capacity of standard bottled water, meaning it takes significantly more acid to overpower it. You can find commercially available alkaline water at most grocery stores.
Nonfat Milk
Milk is a classic heartburn remedy, but the type matters. Nonfat or skim milk can act as a temporary buffer between your stomach lining and acid, providing quick relief from that burning sensation. Whole milk, on the other hand, can backfire. The fat in whole milk relaxes the valve between your esophagus and stomach, the same valve that’s supposed to keep acid from traveling upward. High-fat foods in general delay digestion and let food sit in the stomach longer, which increases the chance of reflux. If you reach for milk, keep it nonfat.
Plant-based milk alternatives like almond milk or oat milk are generally low in fat and work as neutral options, though they haven’t been studied as specifically as dairy milk for reflux relief.
Herbal Teas That Help
Chamomile tea has a soothing effect on the digestive tract and is one of the more commonly recommended options for reflux. It won’t neutralize acid the way an antacid does, but it can calm irritation in the esophagus and stomach lining. Drink it warm, not hot, since very hot liquids can irritate an already inflamed esophagus.
Licorice tea is another option worth trying. Licorice appears to increase the mucous coating on the esophageal lining, helping it resist damage from stomach acid. If you use licorice supplements rather than tea, look for the deglycyrrhizinated form (often labeled DGL), which removes a compound that can raise blood pressure with regular use.
A Note on Ginger Tea
Ginger is often recommended for digestive issues because it speeds up gastric emptying, moving food out of your stomach faster so there’s less material to reflux upward. However, ginger also relaxes the valve at the top of your stomach. When that valve loosens at the wrong time, acid flows into the esophagus. This means ginger tea could help some people and worsen symptoms for others. If you want to try it, start with a weak brew and see how your body responds.
Baking Soda in Water
Dissolving baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) in water creates a fast-acting liquid antacid. The standard dose is half a teaspoon in a full glass of cold water, taken after meals. It works by directly neutralizing hydrochloric acid in your stomach, and relief usually comes within minutes.
There are important limits, though. Don’t exceed five teaspoons in a single day, and don’t use this remedy for more than two weeks. Overuse can disrupt the acid-base balance in your blood, and the high sodium content is a concern for anyone watching their salt intake or managing blood pressure. This is a short-term fix for occasional flare-ups, not a daily habit.
Coconut Water
Unsweetened coconut water is naturally low in acid and rich in potassium, which helps promote pH balance in the body. It’s a gentle option that’s unlikely to irritate the esophagus. The key word is unsweetened: flavored or sweetened versions often contain added acids or sugars that can work against you. Check the label and choose plain varieties.
Aloe Vera Juice
Aloe vera juice has some preliminary evidence behind it. In a small randomized trial, participants who took a standardized aloe vera syrup daily for four weeks saw improvement in reflux symptoms. Aloe vera is thought to have a soothing, anti-inflammatory effect on the digestive tract lining. If you try it, choose a product specifically labeled for internal use and free of aloin, which is a laxative compound found in the outer leaf that can cause digestive distress.
Skip Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is one of the most commonly recommended home remedies for heartburn on the internet, but there is no published clinical research supporting its use for reflux. That’s not a case of weak evidence. It’s a case of no evidence at all. Given that heartburn is caused by acid irritating your esophagus, adding more acid in the form of vinegar is, at best, unproven and, at worst, likely to increase the irritation you’re already experiencing.
Drinks That Make Heartburn Worse
Knowing what to avoid can prevent heartburn from starting in the first place. Carbonated beverages are among the worst offenders. The dissolved carbon dioxide causes your stomach to expand, and that distension reduces the pressure in the valve at the top of your stomach by 30 to 50 percent. In one study, the valve pressure dropped from a baseline of about 40 mmHg to just 18.5 mmHg after drinking a carbonated beverage. That’s more than a 50 percent drop, essentially leaving the door to your esophagus hanging open.
Coffee and other caffeinated drinks can also increase the frequency of valve relaxations that let acid escape. Citrus juices (orange, grapefruit, lemon) are highly acidic and directly irritate the esophageal lining. Alcohol relaxes the esophageal valve and increases acid production at the same time, a combination that reliably produces heartburn. Full-fat chocolate drinks and peppermint tea, despite peppermint’s reputation as a digestive aid, also relax the valve and tend to worsen symptoms.
How You Drink Matters Too
Beyond choosing the right beverage, your timing and portions make a difference. Drinking large volumes with meals increases stomach distension, which is a direct trigger for reflux. Smaller sips throughout the day are gentler on your system. If you’re dealing with nighttime heartburn, stop drinking anything except small sips of water at least two to three hours before lying down, giving your stomach time to empty before gravity is no longer helping keep acid in place.