Bad Foods for Heartburn

Heartburn, more officially known as gastro-esophageal reflux disease or GERD, is caused when acid from the stomach finds its way into the esophagus. Often, this is triggered or aggravated by certain foods and drinks. Monitoring what you eat and changing your diet can help eliminate or reduce symptoms, though working with a health care professional will help you develop the best course of action.

High-Fat Foods

PurplePill.com notes that high fat food items have the power to relax esophageal sphincter muscles, which makes it easier for stomach acid to enter the esophagus. This makes many popular snack and fast food items particularly bad foods for those looking to avoid heartburn. The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse notes that some top offenders in this category include popular fried foods like french fries and fried chicken.

Foods Made from Tomatoes

Tomatoes are an acidic food with a strong link to heartburn, according to MedHelp. This makes tomatoes themselves and all the foods that contain tomatoes something for heartburn sufferers to avoid. Pizzas, chilis, tomato juice, pasta sauce and salsa are just a few of the top tomato-containing foods to avoid.

Mint Foods

Mint is sometimes recommended as a stomach soothing treatment, but MedHelp notes that for heartburn sufferers mint can have the opposite effect. As a result, mint and peppermint items like candies, cookies or cakes are foods to avoid.

Citrus/Citric Acid

Family Doctor notes that citrus is a problem for heartburn sufferers. MedHelp provides a list of citrus fruits that include tangerines, grapefruits, lemons, limes and oranges. Both as raw fruits and as juices, these can trigger heartburn. Since many packaged juices and foods contain citric acid as a preservative agent, heartburn sufferers will want to be sure to read labels carefully to avoid this bad heartburn food.

Alcohol

Sometimes referred to as "liquid bread," Patient UK notes that alcohol is a bad food for people with heartburn. This ban on alcoholic beverages extends to all types, including beer, wine and hard liquors. PurplePill.com notes that alcohol can actually stimulate the production of additional stomach acid, making it especially important to avoid.