Foods that Cause Heartburn and Other Heartburn Triggers

Food certainly is a biggie when it comes to triggers of heartburn. Here are the most common foods that cause heartburn. Should we say sorry now?

• Chocolate

• Garlic

• Raw onions

• Mints

• Vinegar

• Fried and fatty foods

• Citrus fruits or juices

• Spicy foods

• Ketchup and mustard

• Tomatoes and tomato sauces

Sad but true, caffeine is a very common trigger of heartburn. What you may not realize is that caffeine is found in more than just coffee. Read on.

• Coffee

• Tea

• Energy drinks

• Chocolate

• Chocolate ice cream

• Coffee ice cream

• Sodas and colas

Alcohol’s a heartburn trigger alright. Interestingly, red wine has been shown to be a worse trigger than white.

Sleep?! Well, it’s not sleeping itself that causes heartburn, it’s the fact that most of us like to do it lying down. And when you lie down, your horizontal position can make it easier for acid to creep up out of your stomach into your esophagus (thanks a lot, gravity).

Eating too close to bedtime can also trigger heartburn, if your body’s still digesting a lot of food when you lie down.

Unless you’re living in a bubble, you probably experience some stress in your life. While it’s not a direct trigger of heartburn, stress can cause heartburn to feel worse. It can also make you reach for things like cigarettes, alcohol, or greasy comfort food.

Big surprise, smoking is not good for your heartburn, either. It relaxes the esophageal sphincter that normally keeps acid from coming up out of your stomach.