Your taste buds may love a spicy meal, but sometimes your stomach might disagree. While eating fiery fare doesn't guarantee a bellyache, for many people, tongue-tingling meals come with a digestive downside.
"Spicy foods frequently exacerbate stomach discomfort and heartburn, especially for those with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)," says Jacob Skeans, MD, a gastroenterologist and an associate professor of clinical medicine at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus.
While heartburn and reflux are some of the most common symptoms, spicy meals can also cause an uncomfortable burning sensation in the stomach, a feeling of fullness, and burping.
The culprit is capsaicin, the compound that gives hot peppers their kick. "It's the major source of pain from spicy foods, and it binds to nerves in the mouth, tongue, and esophagus," Dr. Skeans says.
Capsaicin can also slow the rate at which food exits the stomach, causing food to sit in the stomach longer. "This increases the chances that stomach contents will reflux into the esophagus and cause heartburn symptoms," says Skeans.
6 Ways to Quell Stomach Pain From Spicy Food
The best way to avoid this discomfort is to steer clear of spicy foods, especially two to three hours before going to bed, Skeans says. But if you don't want to give them up completely, some remedies can help you to weather the heat.
Here are six tips to curb an upset stomach from spicy food.
1. Medication
Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are some of the most effective soothers of occasional spice-induced heartburn or stomach pain. Which type you take depends on whether you want fast-acting relief or something that takes some time to kick in but keeps you comfortable for a bit longer.
"OTC options like Tums and Maalox work relatively quickly to neutralize gastric acid, which contributes to stomach discomfort and GERD," says Rita Knotts, MD, a gastroenterologist at NYU Langone Health in New York City. The effects of these calcium-carbonate-based meds can wear off quickly, though, within 30 to 60 minutes — meaning you may need to take another dose to stay comfortable until the spicy food leaves your stomach.
OTC histamine receptor antagonists like famotidine (Pepcid AC) and cimetidine (Tagamet HB) offer relief for up to 12 hours by decreasing the level of acid in your stomach. They take a little longer to kick in, Dr. Knotts says.
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are a better choice for managing recurring heartburn symptoms. As well as blocking the production of acid in the stomach, PPIs help the tissue in the esophagus heal by preventing repeated exposure to acidic stomach fluids.They're available OTC or by prescription, but you should discuss the pros and cons of PPIs with your doctor first, Knotts says.
2. Nonfat Milk
Dairy has a well-earned reputation for being able to cool your mouth during a fiery meal; this is because its proteins break down capsaicin. A glass of milk may help settle your stomach afterward, too, Knotts says.
Just be sure to sip nonfat milk. "The higher fat content [of whole or low-fat milk] can worsen reflux," she says.
3. Water
Water might not ease the burn in your mouthbut it could help your stomach feel more comfortable. "Water can help dilute stomach acid contents and wash refluxed acids out of the esophagus," says Skeans.
Resist the urge to guzzle water, though. Drinking a lot of water at once can leave your stomach feeling uncomfortably full, Knotts says.
4. Chewing Gum
A stick of sugar-free gum might help you reduce heartburn after eating spicy food, although research is limited and more studies are needed to confirm these findings. A small study found that chewing sugar-free gum for 30 minutes after eating reduced heartburn in people who regularly experienced acid reflux.
That might be because chewing gum boosts your mouth's production of saliva. "Saliva contains bicarbonate, which neutralizes stomach acid. And the increased frequency of swallowing allows the bottom of the esophagus to clear refluxed contents more quickly," Skeans says.
5. Ginger
Ginger chews, capsules, and teas are popular herbal stomach soothers, particularly when it comes to nausea. But ginger might also help with general feelings of indigestion. "It's demonstrated some effect in the treatment of what we call dyspepsia, which is fullness after eating, abdominal pain, or discomfort," Knotts says.
You may want to steer clear if your main symptom is heartburn, though. Some forms of ginger have the potential to cause reflux or make it worse.
6. Iberogast
An herbal extract made from plants including angelica root, chamomile, and licorice, Iberogast is a stomach soother more common in Europe than the United States. But research suggests that it could be effective: a review concluded that Iberogast may relieve a wide range of gastrointestinal symptoms. "For those mostly with stomach upset, it's been shown to help," Skeans says.
The Takeaway
Spicy food can make stomach discomfort and heartburn worse because it contains capsaicin, which is what gives spicy foods their kick.
Over-the-counter or prescription medications can quickly relieve stomach-acid-related discomfort, but you may need repeated doses for continued relief.
Other remedies, such as nonfat milk, ginger, sugar-free gum, and Iberogast, may relieve some of the burn caused by spicy food.
Water can soothe an upset stomach but may worsen the burning sensation of spicy food in the mouth.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
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Resources
Patcharatrakul T et al. Acute Effects of Red Chili, a Natural Capsaicin Receptor Agonist, on Gastric Accommodation and Upper Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Healthy Volunteers and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Patients. Nutrients. December 4, 2020.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Mayo Clinic. April 23, 2025.
Can Milk Relieve the Pain from Spicy Food? Cleveland Clinic. October 28, 2021.
Moazzez R et al. The Effect of Chewing Sugar-free Gum on Gastro-esophageal Reflux. Journal of Dental Research. November 2005.
Aregawi LG et al. The Effect of Ginger Supplementation on the Improvement of Dyspeptic Symptoms in Patients With Functional Dyspepsia. Cureus. September 27, 2023.
Modi M et al. Ginger Root. StatPearls. August 11, 2024.
Kim YS et al. Herbal Therapies in Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: A Narrative Review and Clinical Implication. Frontiers in Psychiatry. July 9, 2020.
Yuying Luo, MD, is an assistant professor of medicine at Mount Sinai West and Morningside in New York City. She aims to deliver evidence-based, patient-centered, and holistic care for her patients.
Her clinical and research focus includes patients with disorders of gut-brain interaction such as irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia; patients with lower gastrointestinal motility (constipation) disorders and defecatory and anorectal disorders (such as dyssynergic defecation); and women’s gastrointestinal health.
She graduated from Harvard with a bachelor's degree in molecular and cellular biology and received her MD from the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She completed her residency in internal medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where she was also chief resident. She completed her gastroenterology fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital and was also chief fellow.
Marygrace Taylor is an award-winning freelance health and wellness writer with more than 15 years of experience covering topics including women’s health, nutrition, chronic conditions, and preventive medicine. Her work has appeared in top national outlets like Prevention, Parade, Women’s Health, and O, The Oprah Magazine.
She's also the coauthor of three books: Eat Clean, Stay Lean: The Diet, Prevention Mediterranean Table, and Allergy-Friendly Food for Families. She lives in Philadelphia.
