The jury is out on whether there are truly foods that relieve heartburn. A host of suggestions are found on the Internet, as well as many natural products that may be safe to take or try, but most heartburn prevention focuses on avoiding certain foods rather than adding foods that relieve heartburn. Whether you should even attempt a natural food-based cure rather than taking over the counter or prescribed medicine also depends on how bad your heartburn symptoms are. If you’re suffering from persistent heartburn, you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), sometimes just called acid reflux disease, or an ulcer. GERD or ulcers require medical treatment, since they can cause erosion of the esophagus, leading to asthma and other conditions, as well as decaying the lining of the stomach.

If you get heartburn on an infrequent basis, or perhaps once a week, you may want to look at the foods you’re consuming to see if certain foods are creating the problem. Known offenders include many spicy foods, most alcohol, and most high fat foods. Dark green vegetables like broccoli can pose a problem and carbonated drinks may exacerbate heartburn. If you find you’re getting heartburn once a week, you may want to keep a food journal to see which foods seems to trigger the heartburn response.

Simply changing what you eat is not enough. You also have to change how you eat. People who eat two to three large meals a day instead of four to six smaller ones are more likely to have heartburn. Eating in bed, when you can’t fully sit up, and eating two to three hours before sleeping both can cause you to have more bouts of heartburn. Light exercise after eating can help stimulate the digestive system and might reduce stomach acid.

While most experts on heartburn suggest what not to eat, there are a few websites that recommend specific foods that relieve heartburn. Be aware that these may offer relief, but again if you have GERD or ulcers, they are not likely to cure heartburn permanently.

Typically spices like fennel and cayenne are thought to be foods that relieve heartburn. Ginger is also cited as a possible tummy problem cure, as is mint. You might try cayenne as a spice in food, or use ginger, mint or fennel seeds to make a heartburn tea.

Some people recommend papaya as one of the foods that relieve heartburn. Papaya isn’t always easy to find, but most health food stores carry papaya enzymes. The theory that connects papaya to heartburn relief is that papaya contains certain enzymes which may aid in the digestion of foods and thus help the body produce less acid. Yogurt with active, live cultures may accomplish the same thing, since these cultures can help provide good bacteria to the gut and promote better overall digestion.

Some people are on the fence as to whether high fiber sources are foods that relieve heartburn or cause it. Most doctors believe that daily intake of fiber from whole grains overall may promote better digestion and relieve some heartburn. If you are not allergic to milk, the calcium offered in milk may also help some heartburn sufferers.

The principle thing to remember is that heartburn can suggest the potential of dangerous conditions that need medical treatment. Even by avoiding known offender foods and trying natural cures, your heartburn may not relent, and ignoring the problem can lead to a damaged esophagus or a very unhealthy stomach. Before you try any heartburn relieving foods, check with your doctor. Be sure that your heartburn is not caused by a medical condition or illness prior to trying foods that relieve heartburn, or that may help quell heartburn symptoms.