Does Milk Help With Heartburn?

Does milk help with heartburn? Heartburn is a common acid reflux symptom that affects about 20% of the population. There is a small bit of evidence that shows that the calcium in milk and protein content can help with heartburn.

One cup of cow’s milk provides about 21% to 23% of the Daily Value for calcium depending on if it is low fat milk or whole fat milk. There was a study in over 11,000 people that determined that high intake of dietary calcium was associated with a reduced risk of reflux in men.

Does milk help with heartburn? Photo credit: iStock- eggeeggjiew

It is important to understand that milk contains a high amount of protein.  It contains about 8 grams of protein per cup. A study in 217 people with heartburn found that those who consumed protein had less symptoms.

Gastrin is responsible for the secretion of stomach acid which may end up increasing the burning sensation in your chest. Researchers believe that protein may help with treating heartburn because it stimulates gastrin secretion.

Research studies show that fatty foods are a common trigger for heartburn. There are other options if you don’t want to drink regular milk. The other substitute options are goat milk or almond milk for heartburn relief.

From a digestibility perspective goat milk is better than cow’s milk. Research studies show that it has anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties which could be good for your overall health. One cup of goat milk packs 11 grams of fat compared to 8 grams of fat for cow’s milk.

The acidity of a food is measured by a PH level which can range from 0 to 14. Anything under 6.9 is considered acidic and anything over 7 is considered alkaline. Some people believe that the lower the PH level is the more it can help neutralize stomach acids. There still needs to be more research to 100% validate this theory.

The Bottom line there are studies that have shown that the protein and calcium intake in milk can potentially help relieve heartburn. Whether it be skim milk, low fat milk, whole milk, goat milk or almond milk. All types of milk can potentially help in this.

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