Many people imagine that heartburn is just something that comes with getting older, but the reality is that that fiery sensation climbing up your chest after you’ve eaten a meal is often more to do with the type of food that you’re eating and less to do with your age.
Heartburn occurs when stomach acid leaves the stomach and travels into the oesophagus. The stomach has a protective mucus layer that prevents the acid from causing damage, but the oesophagus does not, which is why it hurts so much when the acid travels upwards.
Usually, it’s a problem with the lower esophageal sphincter, the muscular valve that controls the flow of food into the stomach. It usually works one way, which is why stomach acids don’t drain out of your stomach and then come up your oesophagus while you’re sleeping or hanging upside down. If the valve faces too much upward pressure, it can become too relaxed, and then the stomach acid starts spewing out.
Which foods are most to blame? Which should you avoid?
High-fat fried food
High-fat fried foods are the number one cause of heartburn. Food digests slowly, so it sits in your stomach for much longer, building up pressure. This can lead to the lower esophageal sphincter opening slightly, allowing acid to escape. What’s more, fat sometimes signals the lower esophageal sphincter to relax, leaving the door open for more stomach acid to escape.
Spicy food
Doctors will also sometimes recommend that patients avoid spicy food if they have a lot of heartburn. Spicy foods include dishes with chilli in them, which contain the active ingredient capsaicin. These can irritate the lining of the oesophagus and make it more likely that heartburn would occur. They can increase the risk of a reflux flare-up because of how they interact with the receptors on the stomach wall.
Tomatoes and citrus fruit
You might not think it, but tomatoes and citrus fruit are another common culprit for foods that give you heartburn. They don’t relax the stomach valve like fatty foods do, but highly acidic foods can add fuel to the fire. That’s why many people feel worse after eating grapefruits, lemons, oranges, and marinara sauce. Adding these foods increases the total strength of the acid in the stomach, making it more potent when it comes up through the esophageal sphincter.
Chocolate
Most people love dessert, but unfortunately, chocolate is an issue for anybody who has heartburn problems. Chocolate contains the compound methylxanthine, which chemically relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter muscle. Chocolate is also high in fat, so it slows down digestion, and it contains the active flavour compound cocoa, which irritates the stomach lining.
If you experience any of these problems, it’s worth going to an upper gastrointestinal specialist. I usually recommend lifestyle interventions, but they may also be able to provide medication and surgery.
There you have it: some foods that could potentially be giving you heartburn. If you’re struggling to figure out which specific trigger is affecting you, then simplify your diet and track exactly what you eat.
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