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Nutrition Articles  ›  Seasonal & Holiday Tips

Top 25 Summer Heartburn Triggers

Don't Get Burned by These Summer Favorites

-- By Nicole Nichols, Health Educator
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Chili dogs, chocolate ice cream, and cherry cola. Summer brings a lot of tempting treats. But unfortunately, many of these warm weather foods can leave your belly more than a little upset—especially if you're prone to heartburn.

Check out the list below for the 25 most common heartburn-causing foods of the season, why they're problematic for heartburn sufferers, and some alternative foods that will allow you to participate in the festivities without going hungry.

1. Beef kabobs
Beef can be greasy and high in fat.
Kabobs made with chicken, fish and/or veggies

2. Corn on the cob with butter
Butter is a known heartburn trigger.
Summer's sweet corn is plenty flavorful. Try it boiled or grilled, without the butter.

3. Chili dogs
Chili is spicy and tomato-based, while hot dogs can be high in fat.
Go for a veggie, lean beef or turkey dog and ditch the chili.

4. Chocolate mousse
Chocolate and dairy foods such as mousse and pudding can trigger heartburn.
If dairy foods cause distress for you, try fruit-flavored gelatin as a sweet dessert.

5. French fries
Greasy and high in fat
Try baked potatoes in the oven or on the grill. If you must have fries, make your own, but bake them instead of frying.

6. Fried chicken
Greasy and high in fat
Try skinless chicken breasts that are baked or grilled.

7. Funnel cakes
Deep fried and high in fat

8. Grilled onions
Onions are common triggers for digestive distress.

9. Grilled peppers
Sweet or hot, peppers can cause heartburn.

10. Hamburger
Greasy and high in fat
Opt for a lean chicken, turkey or veggie burger.

11. Hot dogs and sausages
Some sausages can be spicy while both meats are high in fat.
Try a veggie dog or a lean turkey or beef hot dog, but watch out for those heartburn-triggering toppings!

12. Hot salsa
Both spicy and tomato-based (acidic)
Continued ›
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About The Author

Nicole Nichols Nicole Nichols
Nicole was named "America's Top Personal Trainer to Watch" in 2011. A certified personal trainer and fitness instructor with a bachelor's degree in health promotion and education, she loves living a healthy and fit lifestyle and helping others do the same. Her DVDs "Total Body Sculpting" and "28 Day Boot Camp" (a best seller) are available online and in stores nationwide. Read Nicole's full bio and blog posts.

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Member Comments

  • JOANTHOMAS215
    When I get heart burn I take a tablespoon of organic apple cider and it is gone within five minutes. You would think the acid in this would make it worse but it works every time.
    Joan - 1/9/2013 12:37:54 PM
  • My ENT told me that tomatoes weren't really a trigger. They don't seem to trigger my GERD. Chocolate always gave me bad heartburn while pregnant. Salsa and spicy foods don't set it off all the time either.

    Over-eating is a big trigger. - 7/24/2012 9:00:06 PM
  • MRSDOLL1
    Very good advice. I like the Eat this not that theme. - 5/5/2012 9:45:33 PM
  • Its so coincidental to know I have a serious heartburn tonight. It is subsiding with lots of water. I took beans - 5/5/2012 5:22:03 PM
  • I haven't had heartburn since I have lost 50+ pounds and am eating right!!! - 5/5/2012 3:13:13 PM
  • It's ironic that some foods like peppers are healthy for some and cause heartburn for others. If these foods don't bother you, you may be off the hook. The best advice in the article is to record what you've eaten so that you will know your triggers. Also eating smaller meals more often helps your body to break down the food. The "what to avoid" list does not apply to everyone, so if it is not a trigger for you,don't worry, be happy. - 7/8/2011 6:28:17 PM
  • SERBEAR95
    Vanilla ice cream is my go to to soothe heart burn! I didn't flavored ice cream could cause problems! - 7/8/2011 3:15:16 PM
  • Disappointing article. Lots of don't eat this but not much help with alternatives to trigger foods. - 7/8/2011 2:49:40 PM
  • I agree with Azure_Sky in that eating any of these in moderation or once in awhile would probably be okay. However, I also believe that everyone's trigger foods are different. For me, stress and eating too close to bed are better triggers for heartburn than any of these foods. - 7/8/2011 9:58:13 AM
  • AZURE-SKY
    I have no problems with any of those foods - actually, that IS my problem.

    I don't like some of those foods, so it's not a hardship to avoid them. Just use common sense. I like Italian sausage, but it's very high in fat. So, before grilling them, I prick them with a fork all around, then boil them for about 15 minutes. That removes a lot of the fat. It also helps prevent grill flare-ups. You don't lose any flavor, and it shortens the cooking time on the grill.

    What the author didn't mention as a way to avoid heartburn is to eat moderate portions. Stuffing yourself with ANY food (not necessarily a trigger) can cause heartburn. - 7/8/2011 1:49:46 AM
  • Wow, what are we suppose to eat. I love pasta but it has tomatoe sauce (trigger) garlic(another trigger) and ground beef (lean but still a trigger). No chocolate!!! The world is coming to an end!!!! I did not know watermelon was acidic, but most fruit is. Apples, pears, cantelope. What about milk, we need calcium. Any alternatives for it. I love all these foods. - 7/4/2011 8:46:27 AM
  • No longer have heartburn since losing 50 lbs. - 6/27/2011 10:22:02 PM
  • MARYFRANCES24
    I stopped eating red meat recently to try and control cholesterol. To my GREAT surprise, my nearly chronic heartburn and reflux disappeared overnight! Makes sense to me that beef and hamburger are greasy and high in fat and this was bothering me for years and I had no clue. - 6/22/2011 8:51:39 AM
  • MEG0711
    EEYOREJ79, my dad has problems eatting watermelon as well, but he's noticed if he eats it first the indigestion isn't as bad. - 6/15/2011 4:46:53 PM
  • Many of these foods bothered me until I tried the Braggs vinegar natural treatment. I no longer need meds for heartburn , and seldom even need the vinegar. I am heartburn free!! Do some research on natural cures, and BE WELL!!!!!!!!! - 6/14/2011 10:39:16 PM