What are the best protein shakes for acid reflux?

drink wholesome is the best protein shake for acid reflux.

Written by Jack Schrupp & endorsed by Baylee Reller, RDN

What is acid reflux? 

---

Acid reflux, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), is a medical condition that occurs when the acidic contents of the stomach flow backward into the esophagus. The esophagus is the tube that connects the throat to the stomach.

Normally, a ring of muscle called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) at the lower end of the esophagus acts as a valve to prevent stomach acid from moving upward. When this muscle relaxes or weakens it allows stomach acid to reflux into the esophagus. The most common symptom of acid reflux is heartburn.

While occasional acid reflux is common and not necessarily a cause for concern, chronic or severe acid reflux can lead to complications such as esophagitis (inflammation of the esophagus and an increased risk of esophageal cancer.

Treatment for acid reflux may include lifestyle changes such as dietary modifications, weight management, and avoiding trigger foods. For some people, ingredients in protein shakes can trigger acid reflux.

Can protein shakes cause acid reflux? 

---

Although protein shakes themselves do not cause acid reflux, protein shake acid reflux is quite common. Certain ingredients in protein shakes can trigger or worsen acid reflux in sensitive individuals. Some of the most common problematic ingredients are additives, sweeteners, and flavorings.

What is the best protein shake for acid reflux?

---

The best protein shake for acid reflux is one made with a short list of simple ingredients. The more your protein shake looks like real food, the easier it will be to digest. Digestibility is a key factor in preventing acid reflux. Keep reading to learn more.

Why drink wholesome? 

---

drink wholesome is additive-free.

One of the reasons why we make the best protein shakes for acid reflux is that we do not use any food additives whatsoever. Added ingredients like gums, lecithin, flavors, and sweeteners are hard to break down, and tend to spend extra time in your gut. This causes two problems.

First, partially digested food additives can trigger the overproduction of stomach acid. Second, partially digested food additives feed your gut bacteria, which produce gas as they eat. Excessive gas can put pressure on both the small intestine and stomach, forcing stomach acid back into the esophagus. 

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

acacia gum, acesulfame potassium, artificial flavors, aspartame, carrageenan, cellulose gum, dextrin, dextrose, erythritol, gellan gum, guar gum, gum arabic, inulin, locust bean gum, “natural” flavors, maltodextrin, rice syrup solids, soy lecithin, silica, sucralose, sunflower lecithin, xanthan gum, xylitol

Moreover, regularly eating food additives can disrupt your gut microbiome – the community of microorganisms that help you digest food. An unhealthy gut microbiome cannot break down and absorb food as well as a healthy one, which increases the likelihood of acid reflux occurring. 

our ingredients: 

egg whites, coconut, maple sugar, vanilla

the alternative:

Protein Matrix Comprised of (Whey Protein Concentrate,  Whey Protein Isolate, Calcium Caseinate, Micellar Casein, Milk Protein Isolate, Egg Albumen, Glutamine Peptides), Polydextrose, Sunflower Creamer (Sunflower Oil, Corn Syrup Solids,  Sodium Caseinate, Mono- and Diglycerides, Dipotassium Phosphate, Tricalcium Phosphate, Soy Lecithin, Tocopherols), Natural and Artificial Flavor, MCT Powder (Medium Chain Triglycerides, Nonfat Dry Milk, Disodium Phosphate, Silicon Dioxide), Lecithin, Cellulose Gum, Salt, Yellow 5, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, Papain, Bromelain

drink wholesome is dairy-free.

Another reason why we make the best protein shake for acid reflux is that we do not use dairy-based proteins like whey and casein. Dairy-based proteins are hard to digest, especially for people with lactose intolerance. Lactose intolerance occurs when you are unable to fully digest lactose, the sugar in dairy. As you now know, foods that resist digestion can cause acid reflux. 

drink wholesome is made with real foods.

A final reason why we make the best protein shakes for acid reflux is that we do not use protein concentrates or isolates. Nearly all other protein powders are made with one or both of these protein sources. The problem with protein concentrates and isolates is that they have been stripped of everything but the protein, meaning they look nothing like real food.

Your gut is designed to digest unprocessed or minimally-processed real foods, not protein concentrates or isolates. This is why increasing research suggests that regularly consuming highly processed ingredients like these can alter the composition of your gut microbiome. As you just learned, imbalances in your gut microbiome make it hard to digest food, thereby increasing your risk of experiencing acid reflux.

Instead of using protein concentrates or isolates, we make the best protein shake for acid reflux with egg whites and almonds. Minimally-processed ingredients like these are much easier to digest than protein concentrates and isolates.

Unlike protein isolates and concentrates, whole protein sources contain enzymes and natural digestive aids that help with digestion. Egg white protein powder is particularly easy to digest as it is low in fiber, low FODMAP, and alkaline (maintains healthy pH levels in your gut). Egg whites themselves have also been shown to increase number of healthy bacteria in the gut. Our happy customers have thus reported fewer digestive issues with our egg white protein powder than with any other type of protein supplement.

For those who cannot eat eggs, our vegan almond protein powder is the best plant-based protein powder for acid reflux. Almonds are prebiotic, meaning they increase the diversity of the gut microbiome. They also speed up the passage of food through your digestive tract, which is great news for someone with acid reflux.

★★★★★

easy to digest

I highly recommend this to anyone with acid reflux or GERD.” – Dotsie

Read more reviews or take the quiz.