5 Foods That Cause Heartburn During Pregnancy—And 5 That Don't

Did you know that certain foods can cause heartburn during pregnancy? Prevent the burn with these smart food substitutions.

During pregnancy, there will be days when all you want to do is reach for your favorite comfort foods, but the second you take a bite of that French fry or eat a handful of chocolate candies, your chest feels like it's on fire. That's pregnancy heartburn. Luckily, if you know which foods trigger your symptoms, you might be able to avoid the fiery dragon of heartburn.

Foods that cause heartburn during pregnancy include acidic foods, coffee and soda, alcohol, fried and fatty foods, chocolate, citrus, and spicy foods. We'll break down why each food causes heartburn and suggest substitutes that won't make you feel like you're breathing fire.

Woman with heartburn eating food

Getty Images / Doucefleur

What Is Heartburn?

Heartburn is common during pregnancy, with the majority of pregnant people experiencing it. According to research, incidences of heartburn increase from 22% in the first trimester to 39% in the second trimester. Between the second and third trimesters, the rate rises from 60% to 72%, making pregnancy heartburn seem all but inevitable.

Heartburn is caused by acid reflux, which is when the acid from the stomach finds its way into the esophagus, creating a burning sensation just behind the breastbone. The spot where the esophagus and the stomach meet has a tight sphincter that acts like a powerful rubberband, keeping the acidic stomach juices where they should be. But sometimes, that sphincter stops working effectively and relaxes enough to let some stomach juice slip by.

Symptoms of Acid Reflux

Classic symptoms of acid reflux include:

  • A burning sensation in the chest or throat soon after eating
  • Bitter, acrid taste in the mouth
  • Burning pain that becomes worse when lying down or bending over
  • Belching, including bringing up food when burping
  • Feeling sick like you want to vomit

What Causes Heartburn During Pregnancy?

The same pregnancy hormones responsible for relaxing joints, tendons, and ligaments can also impact the sphincter between the esophagus and the stomach, leading to acid reflux and pregnancy heartburn. According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, progesterone is one such hormone. It relaxes the sphincter and slows digestion, making eating a potentially fiery chore.

But hormones aren't the only cause of pregnancy heartburn. As the uterus enlarges, especially after about the 20th week, it pushes the stomach up against the diaphragm, condensing stomach contents and potentially moving them up the esophagus. Your stomach capacity may be mechanically impacted by your enlarging uterus as well.

Foods That Can Cause Pregnancy Heartburn

While you can't prevent the hormonal and physical changes that are known to cause acid reflux and heartburn during pregnancy, you can avoid some of the most triggering foods to keep the burn at bay. Here are five foods that can cause heartburn during pregnancy.

Acidic foods and drinks

Acidic foods can irritate the esophagus and add more acid to an already sour situation, worsening heartburn symptoms. Commonly acidic foods to avoid include:

  • Citrus fruits like lemons, oranges, and grapefruit
  • Apples, grapes, blueberries, and pineapple
  • Tomatoes, raw onions (cooked are OK), red peppers, and pickles
  • Citrus juices like orange juice or lemonade

Avoid condiments that have vinegar and other high-acidic ingredients.

Coffee, tea, and soda

More highly acidic drinks that can trigger heartburn? Coffee, tea, and soda. These beloved beverages are known to crank up the heartburn, and that quality isn't limited to the caffeinated versions. In fact, when it comes to these drinks' acidic levels, caffeine isn't to blame.

Tip

Don't want to give up your morning cup of joe or glass of OJ? Look for lower acid versions and try to enjoy your drink with a meal or snack to avoid introducing the extra acid to an empty stomach.

Alcohol

Alcohol is highly acidic, meaning it will do you no favors when you're trying to prevent heartburn. Even non-alcoholic options of your favorite drinks, such as non-alcoholic (NA) beers, are still highly acidic.

Aside from the risk of worsening your pregnancy heartburn, consuming alcohol during pregnancy is considered dangerous due to its harmful effects on a developing fetus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drinking alcohol during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), which include permanent physical, intellectual, and behavioral disabilities in children.

Fatty and fried foods

Fried and fatty foods don't have to be acidic to pack a punch with heartburn. Foods that are high in fat—including full-fat dairy options—take longer to digest, which means it takes longer for the stomach to empty. And as anyone who has ever dealt with burning indigestion after eating French fries can tell you, the longer food hangs out in the stomach, the more opportunity it has to back up into the esophagus to cause discomfort and pain.

To help reduce heartburn symptoms, opt for leaner cuts of meat and low-fat dairy products. When possible, bake instead of frying foods. But if you really want that satisfying crunch that only fried foods can offer, consider trying an air fryer, which doesn't rely on oil to cook food.

Chocolate

If chocolate is your go-to special treat, we have some bad news. Research has long shown that chocolate is a major trigger for acid reflux because it contains acidic characteristics, such as caffeine and cocoa, that can decrease the pressure around the esophageal sphincter, causing it to relax enough to allow stomach juice to back up into the esophagus.

If you cannot live without an occasional chocolate fix, try limiting your intake to an occasional drizzle of chocolate sauce or only two squares of a chocolate bar—and avoid eating it on an empty stomach.

Spicy foods

Spicy heat can elevate a dish from bland to extraordinary, but when dealing with pregnancy heartburn, spicy foods can trigger an episode of acid reflux.

The secret to what makes foods like peppers so spicy is capsaicin. Capsaicin irritates mucus membranes, including the esophagus, which can lead to acid reflux. But that's not all: Capsaicin also slows down digestion, which can exacerbate acid reflux.

Try using fresh herbs and non-pepper seasonings to help flavor foods without triggering heartburn.

Foods That Won't Cause Heartburn During Pregnancy

If you want to avoid pregnancy heartburn, you might have to say goodbye to some of your favorite foods (at least for now), but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy a diet with fun flavors and textures. To help lower your chances of heartburn, try swapping out triggering foods for these easier-to-digest options.

  • Dairy: Low-fat dairy products—including low-fat cottage cheese, yogurt, milk, and cheeses—are fantastic options to help reduce acid reflux. Dairy is also a good source of calcium and vitamin D, making it a smart pick for pregnancy. Avoid high-fat options since they take longer to digest and can trigger heartburn.
  • Herbal teas: Herbal teas like chamomile, ginger, slippery elm, marshmallow root, turmeric, and fennel are all soothing options for battling pregnancy heartburn. But skip the peppermint since that can increase heartburn symptoms.
  • Low-acid fruits: Low-acid fruits like bananas and melons are easy to digest, super healthy, and won't worsen heartburn symptoms.
  • High-fiber foods: High-fiber foods like whole grains, root veggies like sweet potatoes and carrots, as well as green veggies like asparagus, broccoli, and green beans, also won't aggravate heartburn.

Key Takeaway

While you may not be able to entirely avoid acid reflux and the burn it creates, acidic and high-fat foods that cause heartburn during pregnancy can be easily swapped out for healthy options that won't trigger symptoms. Talk to a health care provider if you're experiencing persistent heartburn symptoms.

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Sources
Parents uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Heartburn in Pregnancy. BMJ Clinical Evidence. 2015.

  2. Pregnancy and Heartburn. University of Rochester Medical Center. 2023.

  3. Alcohol Use During Pregnancy. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reviewed 2022.

  4. Chocolate and Heartburn: Evidence of Increased Esophageal Acid Exposure After Chocolate Ingestion. The American Journal of Gastroenterology. 1988.

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