What Is the Best Protein Powder for Acid Reflux​?

Are you looking for the best protein powder for acid reflux​? Discover how to supplement your protein intake without upsetting your stomach.

Protein Powder for Acid Reflux

Can Protein Powder Cause Acid Reflux?

Acid reflux occurs when the acidic contents of your stomach flow backward into your esophagus (the tube that connects your throat to your stomach).

Normally, a ring of muscle called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) acts as a valve to keep stomach acid in your stomach.

When this muscle relaxes or weakens, however, acid reflux can occur.

Some of the underlying causes include obesity, pregnancy, hiatal hernia, delayed gastric emptying, and gut issues like SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth).

The most common symptom of acid reflux is heartburn.

And while occasional acid reflux is common and not necessarily cause for concern, chronic or severe acid reflux can lead to complications such as increased risk of esophageal cancer.

As you might imagine, what you eat and when you eat it can affect acid reflux.

Eating right before bed, or eating an empty stomach, for example, can cause or worsen acid reflux.

Eating fatty foods or foods that are hard to digest can also trigger or aggravate acid reflux.

It follows that many people find protein shakes and powders to be problematic.

What Is the Best Protein Powder for Acid Reflux? 

Many, if not most, protein powders contain ingredients that are hard to digest.

And ingredients that resist digestion can contribute or even cause acid reflux.

Here are some of the top offenders:

Avoid Food Additives

Most protein powders contain a cocktail of ultra-processed food additives, including emulsifiers and thickeners, which tend to be hard to break down.

This can lead to the overproduction of stomach acid and feed your gut bacteria, which release gas as they eat.

Having too much stomach acid is obviously an issue if you are prone to acid reflux.

Too much intestinal gas is a problem because it put pressures on the stomach, pushing stomach acid into the esophagus.

Regularly eating certain food additives can also alter the composition and function of your gut microbiome.

This can lead to gut dysbiosis, or an imbalance in your gut microbiota, which has been linked to acid reflux and even gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Here is a list of the most common food additives in protein supplements:

• acacia fiber
• acacia gum
• acesulfame potassium
• artificial flavors
• ascorbic acid
• aspartame
• calcium carbonate
• carrageenan
• cellulose gum
• dextrin
• dicalcium phosphate
• dipotassium phosphate
• erythritol
• gellan gum
• guar gum
• gum arabic
• inulin
• locust bean gum
• maltitol
• maltodextrin
• mono- and diglycerides
• ‘natural’ flavors
• rice bran extract
• rice dextrin
• rice hulls
• rosemary extract
• silica
• silicon dioxide
• sodium alginate
• soluble corn fiber
• sorbitol
• soy lecithin
• sucralose
• sunflower lecithin
• tocopherols
• tricalcium phosphate
• xanthan gum
• xylitol
• zinc oxide

Note that this list includes several artificial sweeteners.

Artificial sweeteners like sucralose and acesulfame potassium are among the worst ingredients for your gut microbiome.

They both reduce microbial diversity and promote the growth of potentially pathogenic bacteria.

In short, if you could not find an ingredient in nature or make it at home, it should not be in your protein powder.

Avoid Dairy-Based Proteins

You should also avoid dairy-based proteins like whey and casein, which contain lactose, a sugar many people cannot fully digest.

Keep in mind that you may be sensitive to dairy-based proteins even if they are not lactose intolerant.

This is particularly true for casein protein, which forms a gel-like substance in the stomach that slows down digestion.

Avoid Protein Concentrates and Isolates

You should steer clear of protein concentrates and isolates too.

Most protein supplements are made from protein concentrates and isolates, which have been mechanically and/or chemically stripped of everything but the protein.

This includes the enzymes, fiber, and other natural digestive aids that help your gut break them down.

You therefore do not digest them in the same way that they do whole foods, which can affect everything from satiety to gut health.

In fact, studies show that regularly eating protein concentrates and isolates can disrupt the gut microbiome and cause the formation of toxic byproducts in your gut.

So, pending further research, it is recommended that you stick to protein powders made from whole food protein sources.

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Drink Wholesome Is the Best Protein Powder for Acid Reflux

Finding a protein powder free from food additives and protein concentrates and isolates is hard.

In fact, 99% of protein supplements contain one or more of these problematic ingredients, which is why we created Drink Wholesome.

We make the best protein powder for acid reflux because we use a short list of simple ingredients.

Our Ingredients

egg whites

coconut

vanilla

monk fruit

NOT Our Ingredients

• acacia gum

• acesulfame potassium

• artificial flavors

• carrageenan

• erythritol

• guar gum

• inulin

• maltodextrin

• 'natural' flavors

• silica

• soy lecithin

• sucralose

• xanthan gum

• xylitol

Note that instead of using protein concentrates or isolates, we use whole food protein sources like egg whites and almonds, which are easier to break down and absorb.

It follows that our customers experience fewer digestive issues with our Protein Powder than with any other type of protein supplement.

Order Samples to see for yourself.