9 Foods You Should Never Eat on an Empty Stomach

3. Spicy Food

That fiery feeling you get from chili peppers comes from a compound called capsaicin, which activates the same pain and heat sensors in your body that respond to real heat. On a full stomach, capsaicin gets diluted and buffered by other food. On an empty stomach, it meets your stomach lining directly, and in many people that means burning, cramps, nausea, or a rushed trip to the bathroom.

Here’s a myth worth clearing up: spicy food does not cause stomach ulcers, as many of us were told growing up. Doctors now know that most ulcers are caused by a bacterium called H. pylori and by long-term use of certain painkillers. But if you already have gastritis, an ulcer, or reflux, spicy food can definitely make the symptoms worse, and an empty stomach makes that more likely.

Tolerance matters too. People who eat spicy food regularly often handle it better than those who rarely do, which is why the same dish feels mild to one person and unbearable to another.

What to do instead: Save the spicy dishes for lunch or dinner, when your stomach has other food to work with. If you can’t skip the heat, pair it with something cooling and filling, like yogurt (curd), milk, rice, or bread. Dairy contains a protein that helps wash capsaicin away from your taste and pain receptors, which is why a spoonful of curd calms the burn better than a glass of water.