Chocolate

Another major cause of heartburn is chocolate. A small piece of chocolate might not cause heartburn, but a large piece of chocolate candy or a rich chocolate mousse for dessert might cause heartburn symptoms and make you regret your indulgence.

Cacao and caffeine, two components of chocolate, can relax the LES and increase esophageal exposure to acid. After eating chocolate, many people have heartburn symptoms, and studies have shown that chocolate can lower LES pressure. It's unclear, though, whether cutting out chocolate from the diet will lessen heartburn symptoms. If you believe that chocolate causes you to get heartburn, try to keep your consumption of it to special occasions and small amounts. And it's best to eliminate chocolate from your diet if you discover that it causes heartburn or makes your symptoms worsen.