Embrace Autumn with Reflux-Friendly Plant-Based Dishes

Have you been struggling with acid reflux while indulging in your favorite fall treats? Perhaps it’s time to turn over a new leaf this fall and embrace plant-based autumnal dishes to soothe your indigestion. 

The Fall Flavors You Crave: Acid Reflux-Friendly Plant-Based Options

Understanding Acid Reflux: Triggers and Dietary Considerations 

Acid reflux or GERD results from undigested food re-entering the esophagus from the stomach, causing chest tightness or pain, a burning sensation in the throat, or an unpleasant taste in the mouth. Sometimes, it results from eating too large of a meal, but it may result from a dietary trigger. Common dietary triggers include alcohol, caffeine, carbonation, spicy foods, acid fruits, and peppermint. It also includes high-fat and greasy foods like full-fat dairy and creams, fatty cuts of meat, and fried foods. 

Embracing Plant-Based Delights: Delicious and Soothing Alternatives

In addition to avoiding the common triggers, following a more plant-based diet may help lower the overall acidity of your meals, reducing acid reflux episodes. Plant-based diets also contain more fiber. Fiber aids in increasing gut motility. When our gut motility is decreased, we are more likely to experience reflux. Plant-based diets are also linked to weight loss and maintaining healthier body weights. Individuals who are overweight or obese are more likely to experience reflux. 

Spice Up Your Season: Flavorful Plant-Based Dishes for Fall

Now that we know the benefits of plant-based foods in reducing the incidence of acid reflux. Let’s take a look at some classic fall dishes revised with a plant-based spin. 

Hearty and Comforting Dinners: Plant-Based Alternatives to Classic Fall Dishes

When I think of hearty fall meals, four come to mind: creamy soups, chili, shepherd's pie, and pasta dishes. Luckily, they can be altered to be reflux-friendly so you can eat and have a gourd time. 

• Creamy soups and stews: Due to their high-fat content, creamy soups may cause reflux. Instead of using full-fat dairy milk or cream, consider switching to coconut milk or cashew milk. You can also blend a seasonal vegetable like canned pumpkin or cooked butternut squash with vegetable broth to create the same creamy consistency without nuts. The chilly weather is soup-er!
• Chili: If the ground beef in chili causes acid reflux, consider switching it out for a plant-based option like lentils or quinoa. If spice is a trigger for you, remember to go easy on the chili powder. You can even minimize the acidity of the tomatoes by adding vegetables like corn or bell pepper.
• Shepherd’s pie: This classic comfort dish is almost reflux-friendly, except for the use of the traditional high-fat ground beef. To increase the fiber in the meal and cut out the fat, consider swapping the ground beef for brown or red lentils. Another option is to substitute it with tofu crumbles. To make the tofu appear as ground beef, season it with paprika and other spices—so long as these don’t fall into your trigger category!
• Pasta: Cream-based sauces like alfredo and tomato-based sauces like marinara can be pesky heartburn provokers. Instead, make a cream sauce by blending pumpkin or roasted butternut squash with broth or even water. You can also choose a pesto sauce and top it with seasonal autumnal nuts like pine nuts, chestnuts, or walnuts. As a bonus, these provide a pinch of protein!

Beyond the Main Course: Acid Reflux-Friendly Plant-Based Sides

For anyone who thinks the side dishes can’t be the star of the show, let’s squash this rumor. 

• Roasted Vegetables with a Twist: Root vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, and beets are high in fiber and seasonal to autumn. I like to roast them in olive oil with a dash of salt and pepper for a warm and nourishing side dish. Autumnal squashes like butternut, acorn, and spaghetti squash can also be roasted for a nutrient-packed side item. 
• Salads with a Kick: Salads can be adapted for their season, from the type of leafy green used to the toppings. When September hits I like to pivot from a summery spinach salad to a more hearty kale option. I top it with seasonal fruits like apples, pomegranates, or pears from there. For a little crunch, I sprinkle it with walnuts. Instead of covering it in a high-fat creamy dressing, I choose a balsamic vinaigrette or a tahini-based dressing, which provides a plant-based creamy consistency without burn. Unbeleafable!
• Sweet Treats Without the Sour: A fall meal wouldn’t be complete without a baked good to go with it. I love baking seasonal fruits like apples and pears and topping them with cinnamon and chopped nuts. The salty-sweet combo always hits the spot. Or, try the classic pumpkin bread. To make it fully plant-based, swap regular milk with soy milk or butter with applesauce. Do you feel like pumpkin pie instead of bread? Switch out the sweetened condensed milk with coconut milk. 

Celebrating the seasons is good for the heart and can be done without heartburn. You can make your recipes reflux-friendly with a few plant-based swaps here and there, or you can fall in love with a whole new plant-inspired dish. 

1. _{Clarrett, D. M., & Hachem, C. (2018). Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Missouri medicine, 115(3), 214–218.}
2. _{Morozov, S., Isakov, V., & Konovalova, M. (2018). Fiber-enriched diet helps to control symptoms and improves esophageal motility in patients with non-erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease. World journal of gastroenterology, 24(21), 2291–2299. https://doi.org/10.3748/wjg.v24.i21.2291} 
3. _{Turner-McGrievy, G., Mandes, T., & Crimarco, A. (2017). A plant-based diet for overweight and obesity prevention and treatment. Journal of geriatric cardiology : JGC, 14(5), 369–374. https://doi.org/10.11909/j.issn.1671-5411.2017.05.002}