# Any tasty alkaline drinks out there? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 7, 2000, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tasty-alkaline-drinks-out-there/32381 "2000-09-07T17:31:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2000, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tasty-alkaline-drinks-out-there/32381/1 "2000-09-07T17:31:21Z")
I’m getting tired of popping pills for my [GERD](http://www.gerd.com)- I’m up to 40mg of Pepcid a day and I _still_ have frequent sour stomach- usually when I’m at work and not within reach of my box of baking soda. For those who didn’t know, a teaspoon of baking soda mixed into a few ounces of water does instant wonders for neutralizing excess stomach acid, even if it does taste like Satan’s urine (and believe me, a **gallon** of Satan’s urine would be preferrable to the symptoms of GERD). But that’s all behind the point. What I wondered was, since there are so many acid-rich drinks within easy reach (sodas, juices, even milk), there must be at leat a few alkaline based drinks that I could keep handy at work for the occasional flare up (assuming Satan is not available). The only alkaline based liquids I can think of are all medicines. Why is this- do alkaline based liquids taste bad by default? And FTR, I know there is more to aggrivating GERD than just drinking excass acids. Caffeine & fatty foods are major villains, too. I was hoping that there might be a tasty and good-for-you drink out there that would help my stomach throw the pH meter back to center. p.s.: I know, I know- go see a doctor. Well smartypants I am going to do just that in a couple of weeks, so there. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2000, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tasty-alkaline-drinks-out-there/32381/2 "2000-09-07T17:41:34Z")
I believe papaya juice is supposed to be alkaline. I know that the fruit and seeds are recommended for heartburn. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2000, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tasty-alkaline-drinks-out-there/32381/3 "2000-09-07T18:27:00Z")
I have reflux, too. Cimetidine (Tagamet) works much better than Pepcid AC. The generic cimetidine is MUCH cheaper than the other ones. I hope you get a response to this question. I get tired of the medication approach too. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2000, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tasty-alkaline-drinks-out-there/32381/4 "2000-09-07T18:48:00Z")
You sound like you know more about this than me… but I thought milk was more alkaline than acid? I was going to suggest full fat chocolate milk till I read that part of your OP. One other WAG: maybe mineral water with a high level of calcium salts? You’d have to hunt around for a brand though, since “salty” is not a popular way for Americans to take their bottled water… maybe something imported from europe. (the foulest, most chock-full o’calcium water I ever drank was from Visegrad in Hungary. And yes, it did taste like Satan’s urine.) ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2000, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tasty-alkaline-drinks-out-there/32381/5 "2000-09-08T01:14:16Z")
Milk, as far as I am aware, contains lactic acid & some amount of fat. I drink 2% but there is still some fat there. Chocolate milk, you say? That’s three strikes right there in one glass! Foods that are known to trigger symptoms include chocolate, caffeine, carbonated beverages, hard candy, fried foods, fatty foods, tomato based products, alcohol, peppermint, citrus fruits, and raw vegetables. Coffee seems to aggrivate the condition whether or not it’s caffeinated. I just found out that **saliva** is the most readily available liquid that can neutralize digestive acids, so chewing a stick or two of juicy fruit ( **not** spearmint or peppermint!) an hour or two after a meal might be a good idea. I’ll try some & report back with my findings…