Knowing which foods not to eat can help you avoid triggering heartburn. And it's wise to avoid eating within two or three hours of your bedtime, since this could cause acid reflux in the middle of the night.
Greasy and fatty foods are high on the list of things not to eat if you're subject to acid reflux. Foods not to eat also include chicken nuggets, marbled sirloin and other meats with lots of fat, minced meat, batter-fried vegetables and deep-fried foods.
Foods such as hot peppers and Buffalo wings cause heartburn to flare up. Condiments and spices that are no-no's include hot sauce, spices like curry, and Cajun seasoning and pepper.
Tomato-Based Acidic Foods
Acidic foods are well known to cause heartburn and should be avoided. They include oranges, grapefruits and lemons. Foods that have a tomato base -- such as spaghetti sauce, salsa, chilli, pizza and tomato paste--also should be shunned by heartburn sufferers.Canned goods that contain tomatoes, such as ravioli, should stay on the shelf as well.
Alcohol should be avoided when you have heartburn. Tea can be overlooked as a beverage that causes acid reflux. Other beverages and fruit juices you shouldn't drink include soda with caffeine, coffee, lemonade, grapefruit juice, cranberry juice and tomato juice.
Cream-based soups can cause acid reflux to worsen because they are not easily digested. Foods that contain garlic, peppermint, raw onion and sour cream should be avoided. Some dairy products and products that contain dairy are off-limits because they cause the stomach to produce more acid. Dairy products to avoid include milk shakes, ice cream and regular cottage cheese. Condiments such as creamy salad dressing and oil and vinegar should be replaced with other, low-fat condiments. Processed meats such as hot dogs, sausage and lunch meat, often aggravate heartburn. Satisfying a sweet tooth can bring on an episode of acid reflux. Stay away from foods such as chocolate, doughnuts, regular crisps and brownies. Baked crisps are OK.