• Top 10 Heartburn-Friendly Party Snacks

Nearly 40 percent of Americans have heartburn at least once a month, according to the American College of Gastroenterology.

Heartburn occurs when acid from the stomach moves backwards from the stomach, up into the esophagus.

One of the biggest heartburn triggers is overeating. With celebrations round the corner note, Big meals spell big trouble. The solution? Eat small meals and snack in between. That way you won't get too hungry, and will less likely overeat.

Avoid common heartburn trigger foods that weaken the lower esophageal sphincter muscle, such as:

• Fried or fatty foods

• Chocolate

• Garlic and onions

• Citrus and tomato

• Chili peppers and other spices

Beverages such as coffee, caffeinated tea and cola drinks, alcoholic beverages, citrus and tomato juice. Instead, choose plain tap water, which dilutes acid in the stomach and helps remove any acid coating the esophagus.

Veggies dipped in hummus: Broccoli, bell pepper, celery, cucumber, baby carrot, lettuce, radish and the list is endless. Serve them fresh and crunchy with hummus - a pureed blend of chickpeas or garbanzo beans, tahini (a sesame seed paste), garlic, olive oil and lemon juice.

Crispy Edamame: Try these crispy, cheese top soya bean seeds coated with Parmesan cheese and salt.

Potato latkes with Apple Sauce: golden brown shredded potatoes pancakes toasted on skillet taste scrumptious with apple sauce. Apple is a fruit with less chance of causing heartburn.

Low-Fat Alfredo Sauce With Pasta: Use fettuccine pasta, combine it with evaporated skimmed milk, grated nonfat Parmesan cheese and ground white pepper. Garnish with scallions and parsley.

Pretzel: Look for a larger-sized pretzel option with whole wheat flour as the first ingredient and about three grams of fiber per ounce. The added fiber will help make a 1-ounce serving more satisfying.

Watermelon and Ginger Granite bars: Try these frozen watermelon pieces. Cook and cool honey, clove, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and lemon zest in a cup of water and boil. Freeze for at least 3 hrs and serve.

Orange Almonds: Egg white and nuts make Holiday Orange Almonds a simple, nutritious snack recipe to savor. Combine almonds and egg white, add powdered sugar and orange rinds. Bake at 250 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes or until coating is dry and almonds are crisp; stir almonds occasionally.

Baked Sweet Potato Chips: Sweet potato recipes are healthier for acid reflux suffers. Learn to cook a sweet potato like a regular potato, only with tastier results.

Baked Chicken Strips: These chicken strips are baked to perfection, and you can even include your favorite "bacon" in the recipe if you want. Coat the chicken strips with egg white and then in crumb mixture. Cook for about 20 minutes in oven, or until chicken looks crispy, turning it over halfway through the cooking time.

Shrimp Potstickers with ginger-lemon sauce: These pot stickers can be refrigerated or frozen until you are ready to use them. Combine shrimp, egg white, chili oil, sesame oil, and soy sauce. Puree into a smooth paste. Transfer to a medium bowl, add chopped cilantro, carrot, cabbage, ginger, scallions, shallots, salt, and pepper, and mix well. Fill them in wonton wraps and cook on skillet with oil and water. Once cooked serve immediately with sauce.

Egg white is better than complete egg, and if you like to have some sort of bread in recipe, try a entire grain bagel with low fat cream cheese. Apples and bananas are the most effective options for fruit and, if you would like a fruit juice, apple is almost certainly your finest bet there, too.

Foods to Look Out For In Acid Reflux Diet

• Bread (multi-grain or white)

• Bran, oatmeal

• Corn bread, graham crackers, pretzels

• Rice (brown or white), rice cakes

• Red Licorice

• Jelly Beans

• Baked and fat free cookies

• Fat free cheese like feta or goat cheese, soy cheese and fat free cream

• Skinless chicken breast, egg white, fish, steak, extra lean ground beef

• Green peas and beans

• Potato, broccoli, carrots

• Apple, bananas and melons

• Pears and peaches

• Celery, cabbage, fennel

• Water, mineral water

• Decaffeinated tea

• Non-citrus juices or non-fat or low fat milk

• Low fat salad dressing

You'll be able to see, lots of opportunities for acid reflux and heartburn sufferers to take pleasure in delicious heartburn-free food this holiday season.