Foods That Trigger Heartburn

Burning in your chest or throat is an uncomfortable , quite common

symptom. The symptoms of heartburn can also be triggered by

consuming some foods like fried foods or spicy foods. It is also caused

by certain medications and supplements.

Some individuals describe heartburn as a burning or painful feeling in

the lower chest area. A sour taste in the mouth is also reported by some

individuals. If you have frequent heartburn ,you likely have observed that

some foods are more likely to cause or exacerbate the symptoms of

heartburn. This article identifies the foods that trigger heartburn.

Understanding Heartburn

Heartburn is a temporary burning ache in your chest that can be more

present after you eat. It’s associated with gastro esophageal reflux

disease. When stomach acid comes back up into the esophagus GERD

happens with the following symptoms:

● Burning Pain in chest

● A bitter taste in mouth

● Burping

Normally stomach acid will not be able to reach the esophagus due to a

more distal barrier known as lower esophageal sphincter. This sphincter

is normally closed and open when you swallow something.

The disruption in the opening and closing of the sphincter causes the

backflow of stomach acid .

Risk factors that increase the incidence of heartburn include:

● Delay in emptying of stomach

● Overweight

● Age above 50y

● Excessive use of alcohol

● Smoking

● Musculoskeletal disorders

● Certain medicines like. NSAIDs,benzodiazepines

● Pregnancy

● Hiatal hernia

There are multiple food induced factors towards a person experiencing

acid reflux including:

● The position after eating

● The volume of food you consume in one meal

● The type of foods you are eating

It can be treated by managing associated symptoms. All these factors

can be managed by simply changing how or what you eat . Just

changing body position to an upright position after you eat and portion

size of your meal can help to prevent acid reflux.

Foods that Trigger Heartburn

Here are some foods that trigger heartburn.

Fatty Foods

Heartburn can be aggravated by high fat foods particularly oily foods

such as fries or pizza. It is still under study how fat may stimulate GERD symptoms, but the increase in heartburn may simply result from the body

stimulating the release of substances that irritate your esophagus.

Substances such as bile salts and the hormone cholecystokinin, can

irritate the esophagus and release of CCK may relax the LES ( lower

esophageal sphincter) and increase the potential for acid reflux. Fatty

foods stay longer in the stomach and delay stomach emptying.

These foods include:

● French fries

● Butter

● Whole milk

● Potato chips

● Cheese

● High fat creamy salad

● High fat red meat

Spicy Foods

Spicy Foods are notorious for heartburn . Spicy foods may provoke

burning symptoms and abdominal pain in individuals with functional

gastrointestinal disorders. Capsaicin , the chemical responsible for the

spiciness in food may irritate components of the esophagus

contributing to conditions such as acid reflux.

Studies just show that individuals who consumed spicy foods on a

regular basis exhibited fewer GERD symptoms following a spicy meal,

but not much research has come out since substantiating that point.

It is generally safe to avoid spicy foods if you have GERD .

Beverages

Citrus juices can cause heartburn symptoms when consumed.

Many individuals will tell you that they get GERD symptoms like

heartburn from orange and grapefruit juices. Regardless, the mechanism

for how the citrus juices Trigger Heartburn not fully understood.

Nevertheless many people who have GERD will avoid citrus juices to

help alleviate heart heartburn symptoms.

Chocolate

Chocolate is a common heartburn trigger. The cacao and caffeine in the

chocolate may relax the LES and increase acid reflux in the esophagus.

Some people report heartburn symptoms after eating chocolate.

Studies have shown that chocolate may reduce pressure in the LES.

However , we are unsure whether cutting chocolate from our diet helps

reduce heartburn.

If you find that eating chocolate gives you heartburn or worsen your

heartburn symptoms try eliminating it from your diet.

Caffeinated drinks

Some individuals may be affected by heartburn when consuming coffee

and other drinks with caffeine. The reason is that it is observed that

caffeine relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter and this may increase

the risk of acid reflux in esophagus. Additionally esophageal irritation

also occurs because coffee may induce gastric acid secretions. Although

coffee may cause symptoms of heartburn in some individuals, not all

studies have linked coffee to heartburn.

If coffee causes acid reflux and heartburn it should likely be avoided.

Carbonated Drinks

Many individuals believe they develop heartburn after consuming soda’s

or other carbonated drinks.

Studies have shown that these beverages may calm the esophageal

sphincter and boost stomach acidity, two common risks of heartburn.

Some Vegetables

As vegetables play an essential role in a balanced diet. But consumption

of certain types can cause heartburn or worsen symptoms of GERD.

Following vegetables lead to acid reflux :

Onion

Tomatoes

Garlic

Drinking Alcohol

High consumption of alcohol may exacerbate the GERD symptoms,

including heartburn. Alcohol causes the relaxation of lower esophageal

sphincter and allows acid reflux in the esophagus that triggers heartburn.

Mint

Types of mint such as peppermint and spearmint are believed to ease

digestive issues. However, it is also evident that mint may worsen heartburn. It is observed that peppermint reduces the lower esophageal

sphincter pressure resulting in greater heartburn.

Avoid the mint products if you have heartburn symptoms after ingesting

it.

Heavy Meals

When you consume a heavy meal , heartburn can occur because food

takes a while to digest, which applies pressure to lower esophageal

sphincter, the muscle that keeps stomach acid from moving the wrong

way.

Try instead to consume smaller meals . Try to eat five or six smaller

meals during the day ,rather than eating several heavy meals. Also don’t

overeat.

Medicines

Some medications and supplements may cause inflammation of the

esophagus and lead to heartburn . For instance

● Antibiotics

● Anti- inflammatory

● Iron supplements

● Potassium supplements

Strategies to Manage Heartburn

By eliminating the foods that trigger heartburn from your diet there are

additional strategies for alleviating heartburn.

Keep healthy weight:

Obesity is linked to GERD. Weight loss and keeping healthy weight may

help to lessen heartburn symptoms.

Switch low carb eating pattern:

Heartburn symptoms can also be

alleviated by consuming a low carbohydrate diet.

Prevent lying down after eating:

To reduce symptoms of heartburn

prevent lying down immediately after meals. It is recommended that a

person with GERD avoid eating or drinking anything 3 hours or less

before bedtime.

Adhere to Mediterranean diet:

This diet may assist with the symptoms

of GERD because it consists of fibrous foods such as beans and

vegetables and healthy fats such as olive oil and fish .

Boost activity levels:

Physical activity for 30 minutes 3 days a week

was linked with prevention of GERD symptoms.

Sleep with your Head Elevated:

For Prevention of GERD symptoms

and enhancing sleep cycle , elevate the head side of your bed .

Final Thoughts

Since certain fruits and drinks can stimulate symptoms of heartburn ,

taking these things out of the diet may help someone prevent heartburn.

Everyone responds differently to various foods but spicy and greasy

foods ,alcohol consumption and caffeinated drinks commonly lead to

symptoms of heartburn. Eliminate such drinks and foods that trigger

heartburn symptoms. Changing other habits , like taking a short break

after eating and stopping smoking is usually beneficial as well. Anyone with heartburn symptoms more than two times a week should definitely

seek medical advice .