Diet chart
Diet chart for acidity, reflux and gastritis
Diet does not cure reflux or ulcers on its own, but meal size and timing make a big difference, and a few foods trigger symptoms in many people. Triggers differ from person to person, which is why the food diary helps.
Track today with the food diary →
Key goals
- Smaller meals, more often, without long gaps
- Dinner at least 3 hours before lying down
- Less fried and very fatty food, and fewer of your own trigger foods
- Tea and coffee no more than about 2 cups a day
A sample day
Pick one option for each meal. Portions are for an average adult; adjust them to your hunger and weight.
VegEggNon-vegWestern
- A glass of water; tea or coffee after breakfast rather than on an empty stomach
- A banana or a few soaked almonds if mornings feel acidic
- Vegetable oats, dalia, idli with sambar, or 2 moong dal chillas
- Boiled eggs with whole wheat toast
- Oats porridge with banana or papaya Western
- Papaya, banana, apple or melon
- Coconut water, or a glass of chaas if it suits you
- 2 rotis or 1 katori rice, dal, a lightly spiced sabzi such as lauki, beans or tori, and curd
- Fish or chicken, grilled or in a light curry, not fried, with rice or roti and a vegetable
- Makhana, a fruit, or a small bowl of poha
- Avoid tea or coffee on an empty stomach in the evening
- Small and early, by 7 to 8 pm: khichdi with curd, or 1 to 2 rotis with dal and sabzi
- Grilled fish or tandoori chicken with vegetables
- Clear vegetable or chicken soup with a sandwich Western
- Nothing for 2 to 3 hours before lying down; raise the head end of the bed if you have night symptoms
Daily targets
- Protein
- 0.8–1 g per kg of body weight (about 48–60 g, 60 kg)
- Fibre
- at least 25 g
- Fat
- under 50 g
- Vegetables
- 3 or more katoris
- Fruit
- 1–3 servings
- Water
- 8–10 glasses
- Fried food
- at most 1 a day
- Sugary food and drinks
- at most 1 a day
- Salty food
- at most 1 a day
Choose more
- Smaller meals, more often
- Oats, idli, dalia, khichdi and other lightly cooked foods
- Non-citrus fruits like banana, papaya, apple and melon
- Water between meals rather than large amounts with food
- A short walk after eating
Cut down
- Large, late dinners
- Fried and very fatty food
- Too much tea, coffee and fizzy drinks
- Chocolate, mint and very spicy or tomato-heavy gravies, which are common triggers
- Alcohol and tobacco
Good to know
- Losing weight, if you are overweight, is one of the most effective steps
- Cold milk gives brief relief but can make acid rebound later
- Painkillers such as ibuprofen and diclofenac can cause gastritis and ulcers; avoid them unless prescribed
- Trouble swallowing, vomiting, weight loss or black stools need a specialist visit
If you also have
Diabetes
Small, frequent meals suit both acidity and diabetes; keep each one balanced with protein and fibre, and avoid sweets and sugary drinks between meals. Some diabetes medicines cause nausea or reflux; tell your doctor.
High BP or heart disease
Keep salt low, and avoid pickles and namkeen, which also irritate some people's stomachs. Some heart and BP medicines can worsen reflux; do not stop them, but mention it to your doctor.
Kidney disease
Long-term use of acidity medicines needs review if you have kidney disease. Follow your nephrologist's advice on protein, potassium and fluids.
Pregnancy
Heartburn is very common in pregnancy. Small meals, sitting upright after eating and sleeping with the head raised help. Ask your obstetrician before taking any antacid.
Age over 65
New acidity or indigestion after 50, especially with weight loss or anaemia, needs an endoscopy rather than only diet changes.
Track today's food
Tap what you have eaten. The diary compares your day with the chart, shows what is missing and suggests what to eat for the rest of the day.
Your diary stays on this phone only. Nothing is sent anywhere, and it clears itself after 30 days.
This browser is not saving data (private mode or storage blocked), so the diary will reset when you leave the page.
Common questions
What should I eat when I have acidity?
Small, simple meals such as oats, idli, khichdi, curd rice, roti with dal and a lightly spiced vegetable, and fruits like banana and papaya.
Is milk good for acidity?
It can soothe for a few minutes, but its fat and protein can bring more acid later. It does not heal acidity or ulcers.
Should I avoid spicy food?
Only if it triggers your symptoms. Many people tolerate normal home spices. Very spicy, oily or tomato-heavy gravies are common triggers.
Is fasting good for gastritis?
Long gaps without food worsen symptoms for some people. Regular, moderate meals usually work better.
When to see a doctor
See a doctor if acidity happens twice a week or more for over a month, does not settle with simple changes, or comes with difficulty swallowing, vomiting, weight loss, anaemia or black stools.
Other diet charts
General guidance for adults, not a personal prescription. Food values are estimates for a typical home serving. If you have kidney disease, are pregnant, or have been given a specific diet by your doctor, follow that advice.