13 foods to avoid if you suffer from heartburn

If you’ve ever felt a burning sensation in your chest, just behind your breastbone, you’re not alone. Around 20% of Aussies regularly experience reflux and one of its symptoms, heartburn. 

What is heartburn?

Heartburn is one of the symptoms of acid reflux and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD). Acid reflux is a common medical condition experienced when digestive acid needed in your stomach to break down your food, moves back up into your oesophagus, that tube that normally carries swallowed food from your mouth to your stomach, and causes irritation. Essentially, your stomach contents are coming up. GORD is the chronic, more severe form of acid reflux. 

What does heartburn feel like?

At its best, heartburn can cause discomfort in your chest – at its worst it can be extremely painful. It gets its name because it feels like your chest (and sometimes upper abdomen and throat) is burning. It can range from mild to intense, and can last anywhere from a couple of minutes to a couple of hours. 

Heartburn symptoms

Aside from the discomfort heartburn causes in your chest, other symptoms can include:

• Difficulty swallowing
• A bitter, acidic taste in the back of your throat
• An enhanced burning sensation after eating and drinking, while lying down or bending over
• Weight loss because of difficulty eating
• Nausea and vomiting

What causes heartburn?

There are a number of medical conditions that can lead to heartburn, including pregnancy, hiatal hernia and certain medications. It can also be triggered by some lifestyle habits, like the foods you eat, the size of your meals, how fast you eat and when you eat. Stress, smoking, being overweight and wearing tight clothes can also contribute to conditions that cause heartburn, like GORD and acid reflux.   

Foods to avoid

If you’re prone to heartburn, there are certain foods you should consider avoiding – generally those that sit in the stomach longer. Think foods that are high in fat, salt or spice. Avoid things like:

1. Fried/fast food (burgers, pizza)
2. Processed snacks (chips, pies)
3. Chilli and pepper
4. Fatty meats (bacon, sausages)
5. Chocolate
6. Cheese

Other foods that may trigger the stomach to produce too much gastric acid and lead to heartburn include:

1. Tomatoes and tomato-based sauces
2. Onions
3. Citrus fruits/juices
4. Peppermint
5. Alcohol
6. Caffeinated beverages
7. Carbonated beverages

Foods that can help heartburn

As a heartburn sufferer, a lot of your favourite foods might have to be sacrificed to avoid symptoms. But the good news is that there are still plenty of delicious things that you can eat. 

Pack your diet with things like:

• Wholegrains (great sources of vitamins and essential nutrients)
• Ginger (which has anti-inflammatory properties)
• Fruits and veggies (high in fibre, reducing your compulsion to overeat)
• Yogurt (a proven probiotic shown to improve gut health)
• Legumes (low in fat and have no cholesterol)
• Healthy fats (nuts and seeds, avocado).

If you are experiencing heartburn symptoms, you should speak to a doctor to find out the right treatment for you. You can request a telehealth consultation with one of our Australian-registered doctors from anywhere in Australia, seven days a week.

This article was written by Natasha Dragun, a health and wellness writer with more than 20 years’ experience.