Foods to eat when you have heartburn

Heartburn is a burning feeling caused by reflux irritating the food pipe. A heavy meal can increase stomach pressure, while fatty foods may sit longer and make reflux more noticeable. Spicy foods, citrus, tomatoes, chocolate, mint, coffee, fizzy drinks, and alcohol are common triggers, although tolerance varies. Heartburn can occur with acid reflux, gastritis, a peptic ulcer, or a hiatus hernia, so food alone does not establish the cause.

Choose cooked vegetables, porridge, rice, potatoes, melon or banana, and lean fish, poultry, tofu, or beans. Keep sauces simple and use smaller portions. Eat slowly, notice when symptoms begin, and record ingredients rather than assuming every meal is a problem. Stay upright after eating and avoid a late, rich meal. If heartburn continues, a clinician can review whether acid reflux medication or another evaluation is suitable.

Seek medical advice when heartburn is recurring, worsening, or interfering with sleep or eating. Urgent care is needed for chest pressure, breathlessness, faintness, sweating, vomiting blood, black stools, trouble swallowing, or severe pain. Those symptoms may signal something more serious than ordinary food-related irritation.

Which symptoms suggest reflux rather than another cause? Should I test foods systematically, and how should I take any recommended treatment?