A squeeze of lemon on your salad. Tomato sauce with pasta. Orange juice with breakfast. These foods are often considered healthy. But if you frequently get heartburn, you may have heard that acidic foods can make reflux worse. So should you avoid tomatoes, citrus fruits, and other acidic foods? The answer is more complicated than … Read more
That satisfying fizz can feel refreshing—especially with a meal. But if you notice burning in your chest or a sour taste in your throat after drinking soda or sparkling water, you may start wondering: Can carbonated drinks actually cause heartburn? The short answer is: they can make heartburn worse for some people, but carbonated drinks … Read more
Peppermint feels cooling and refreshing. That is probably why many people reach for peppermint tea or a mint after a heavy meal. But if you are prone to heartburn, there is a surprising catch: Peppermint may actually make your symptoms worse. This can be especially confusing because peppermint is also commonly used for digestive discomfort, … Read more
You eat a few pieces of chocolate after dinner. At first, everything seems fine. Then the burning starts in your chest. Maybe you taste something sour coming back into your throat, or the discomfort gets worse when you lie down. So you start wondering: “Was it the chocolate?” For some people, the answer is yes. … Read more
You finish a greasy burger, fried chicken, or a heavy dinner. Then the burning starts. Your chest feels hot, something seems to rise toward your throat, and you may wonder: “Why does fatty food always give me heartburn?” There is a good reason why high-fat foods are often mentioned when people talk about acid reflux. … Read more
You eat a bowl of spicy noodles or a plate of spicy food, and a few minutes later, your chest starts burning. Was it the chili? If you often get heartburn after spicy food, you may have already decided that you need to avoid anything hot and spicy. But there is an important distinction here. … Read more
That morning cup of coffee feels harmless—until the burning starts in your chest. If you notice heartburn after coffee, you may have wondered whether caffeine is the problem. And if you switch to decaf, should the heartburn disappear? The answer is a little more complicated than “coffee causes acid reflux.” Coffee can trigger or worsen … Read more