Introduction
Gastritis is a disease that affects more and more people. Due to various causes, the mucous membrane of the stomach is acutely or chronically irritated and inflamed, resulting in upper abdominal complaints such as pain, a feeling of fullness and heartburn. However, these complaints can be alleviated by proper nutrition and the healing of the gastritis can be promoted.
Although an inflammation of the gastric mucosa should always be treated with medication, a healthy diet is an important supplement to the therapy. The renunciation of so-called noxious agents is of central importance. These include coffee, nicotine and alcohol.
By consciously avoiding these foods, the development of gastritis can also be prevented. Those affected therefore often ask themselves: “What can I eat in the case of gastritis? Basically there are foods, so-called noxious substances, which additionally irritate the stomach and also stimulate the production of gastric acid.
These intensify the symptoms and delay the healing process. Others, however, have a positive effect on the symptoms of gastritis and can support the healing process. This applies to both solid foods and beverages. The number of meals and the amount of food consumed also plays a role in symptom control.
Gastritis – what can I eat?
In case of inflammation of the stomach lining, there are a number of foods that should be preferred. There are some basic principles when it comes to the question “What can you eat? On the one hand, one should consume low-acid foods that are easy on the stomach.
Low-fat food is also better for gastritis than high-fat food. In addition, wholesome and high-fiber foods are recommended. In the case of gastritis, care should be taken to eat many small meals spread over the day rather than large quantities at once.
The food should also always be chewed well. Fruit and vegetables can still be part of the diet as long as they do not contain a lot of acid. Low-acid fruits are e.g. Different types of vegetables are also no problem if you suffer from gastritis: Carbohydrates play an important role in the question “What can I eat?
Potatoes and rice have proven to be easy on the stomach to cover the carbohydrate requirement. You should take care to cook the potatoes and rice until they are soft and thus relieve the stomach of work in digestion. Bread and rolls are less recommended.
If one wants to eat baked goods, one should pay attention to wholesomeness. White bread or toast is not suitable for this purpose, rather, wholemeal bread is the first choice. For breakfast, wholemeal oat flakes with low-fat milk have proven to be a good choice for stomach mucosa inflammation.
What should not be missing when answering the question “What can I eat in case of gastritis” is yogurt. Probiotic yogurt has a calming effect on the mucous membrane of the stomach and helps to build up a protective film against the acid. As a matter of principle, one should also make sure that the food is prepared in such a way that it is easier to digest.
For example, you can grate fruit and vegetables before eating them or process potatoes into pulp. When it comes to the right drinks, still water is ideal. Low-acid teas such as chamomile are also suitable.
There are also people who avoid solid food for a few days at the beginning of an acute inflammation of the stomach mucosa. However, if the symptoms allow it, the above mentioned foods are no problem. Overweight is a risk factor for the development of stomach problems.
Therefore, weight reduction through a healthy and low-calorie diet often helps to prevent stomach problems.
- Apples
- Melons
- Bananas
- Grapes
- Green salad
- Zucchinis
- Leek vegetables
- Peas
- Carrots
- Fennel
In the case of gastritis, the course of the disease and the symptoms can be negatively influenced by the wrong food or stimulants. The most important measure to prevent or alleviate an inflammation of the stomach lining is to abstain from nicotine, alcohol and coffee.
Basically, food with a high fat content or high acidity should be avoided. These promote the formation of gastric acid and have an anti-inflammatory effect. Meat and products containing meat should not be eaten during an inflammation of the gastric mucosa, as they are one of the strongest factors promoting stomach acid.Especially smoked or cured products have a negative effect on healing the inflammation.
Cold cuts should also be replaced by a different topping. Fatty dairy products, including cream and cheese, are also not recommended. Especially blue cheese or camembert should be avoided.
Other foods that should be avoided in case of gastritis are spicy and very spicy foods. Pepper, Tabasco or chilli, but also too much salt can lead to aggravated symptoms. The question “What should one avoid?”
naturally also includes all kinds of fast food such as hamburgers, French fries or ready-made products from the freezer. They contain too much fat and ingredients that irritate the stomach. There are also some restrictions on fruit and vegetables which must be observed in case of gastritis.
For example, citrus fruits should be avoided for the time of the inflammation. These include lemons, oranges and limes. With vegetables, care should be taken to avoid vegetables that can cause flatulence.
These include beans, cauliflower and leek. The production of gastric acid is additionally stimulated by the gas development in the stomach, which is counterproductive. Furthermore, onions and garlic are not recommended in cases of gastric mucosa inflammation.
Sweets such as wine gum, but also nibbles such as chips or fatty cookies, should be avoided. There are also a number of drinks that can have a harmful effect on the stomach lining, especially if it is already damaged. Sour fruit juices are also not recommended. Thus, the above mentioned foods should be avoided in case of gastritis, at least in the acute phase. In the case of chronic inflammation of the stomach lining, a long-term change in diet may be necessary.