Adding an ulcer diet to your treatment, in addition to the treatment you receive when you visit with your healthcare professional, can help you feel better quickly and possibly avoid another ulcer in the future.
According to WebMD, ulcer patients should include the following foods in their diet:
1. Sweet Potato
It has a high level of vitamin A, which has been shown to help decrease stomach ulcers and may also help prevent ulcers. Spinach, carrots, cantaloupe, and cow liver are some more foods high in vitamin A.
2. probiotics
Yogurt, miso, kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha, and tempeh are all high in probiotics, which are beneficial microorganisms. They may help ulcer patients by fighting H. pylori infections or ensuring that treatments are effective.
3. Red Bell Pepper
It has a lot of vitamin C, which can help protect you from ulcers in a variety of ways. Vitamin C, for example, is essential in the healing of wounds. Ulcers are more common in people who do not receive enough. This nutrient can also be found in citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwis, and broccoli.
Following an Ulcer Diet
Food and drink neither cause nor treat peptic ulcers. The discomfort and irritability brought on by these ulcers on the lining of the stomach, esophagus, or small intestine might, however, be lessened by adhering to an ulcer diet.Some foods, such as berries and grapes, aid in the healing of injured tissue. Others, such as alcohol, aggravate ulcers and jeopardize the digestive tract’s built-in defenses.
The ulcer diet is discussed in this article, along with the best foods to pick, the foods to avoid, and some advice on how to make the ulcer diet work for you.
What Is a Diet for Ulcers?
An eating regimen called an ulcer diet is created to relieve the symptoms of peptic ulcers, stop flare-ups, and stop new ulcers from forming.
It’s intended to:
Identify and treat nutritional deficiencies that are causing your symptoms.
Give your body the protein and other nutrients it requires to repair
assist you in avoiding items that aggravate the ulcer
Assistance with concomitant illnesses including Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, or bacterial infections
Along with any other recommended treatments from your doctor, you should adhere to the ulcer diet.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs), which can harm the lining of your digestive tract, are a common cause of peptic ulcers. Others are brought on by the Helicobacter pylori bacterial infection (H. pylori). Foods with antibacterial properties and substances that speed healing are included to an ulcer diet in both circumstances.
The Journal of Drug Delivery & Therapeutics published a review of medicinal plants in 2021 that examined a variety of natural medicines, including polyphenols. Many plant-based meals include polyphenols, an antioxidant type that can be utilized to treat peptic ulcers. Some polyphenols speed up the healing of stomach lining ulcers, while others have antibacterial properties that aid in the destruction of H. pylori. Green tea’s polyphenols may reduce inflammation and strengthen the tissue lining the stomach.
Foods to Eat and Avoid When You Have an Ulcer
Foods to eat
1. Fruits
2.Green tea
3. Vegetables
4. Legumes
5. Lean meats like skinless poultry and
6. lean beef
7. Fish and seafood
8. Eggs
9. Whole soy foods like tofu or tempeh
10. Fermented dairy foods like kefir or yogurt
11. Healthy fats like olive oil, avocados, and nuts
12. Whole and cracked grains
13. Herbs and spices (mild; fresh or dried)
Avoid These Foods
1. Coffee (regular, decaf)
2. Fatty meats
3. Milk or cream
4. Citrus fruits and juices
5. Fried or high-fat foods
6. Heavily spiced foods
7. Salty foods
8. Alcohol
9. Tomatoes/tomato products
10. Caffeinated foods and drinks
11. Chocolate
Best Options
Fruits: Both fresh and frozen fruits are healthy sources of antioxidants and fiber. The best sources of therapeutic polyphenols include berries, apples, grapes, and pomegranates. Avoid citrus fruits and juices like orange and grapefruit if they cause reflux.
Vegetables: Cruciferous vegetables (such as broccoli, cauliflower, and kale) and leafy greens are particularly rich in vitamins and antioxidants that are beneficial for your general health and healing. If they cause you reflux, stay away from hot peppers, tomatoes, and goods manufactured with them. Because they are more difficult to digest, avoid eating raw veggies.
Lean proteins: Excellent sources of low-fat protein include skinless poultry, sirloin or tenderloin of lean beef, fish, eggs, tofu, tempeh, dry beans, and peas. Omega-3 fats, which are found in fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines, can aid to reduce inflammation and may be useful in preventing further ulcers.
Dairy that has been fermented: Kefir and Greek yogurt are ideal options because they contain probiotics (beneficial bacteria) as well as protein.
Breads and grains: Whole grain breads and grains like oats, quinoa, farro, millet, or sorghum that are whole or cracked are excellent sources of fiber to add in your diet.
Herbs and spices: While hot, spicy foods are typically avoided on an ulcer diet, a review of research on food and H. pylori discovered that some spices added for flavor also aid in the bacterium’s eradication. 2 Since most mild herbs and spices are providers of antioxidants, you are free to utilize them. Turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, and garlic are the best options because they offer antibacterial and anti-inflammatory qualities.
Honey: Instead of using sugar as a sweetener, try using honey. There is proof that certain kinds of honey, such as the rare oregano honey produced in Greece, can eradicate H. pylori and other bacteria.
What to avoid
Alcohol: All forms of alcohol cause stomach irritation and slow healing. Steer clear of alcohol, including wine, beer, and spirits.
Caffeine: The consumption of coffee, tea, and caffeinated sodas should be reduced or discontinued. They might produce more stomach acid.
Milk: In the past, milk was used to cure ulcers, but research has shown that this practice is ineffective since milk raises stomach acid. Best to stay away from it.
certain meats: All highly spiced foods, lunch meats, sausages, and fried or fatty meats and proteins should be avoided.
High-fat foods: Foods high in fat should be avoided because they might cause reflux and raise stomach acid. Gravy, cream soups, and salad dressings may need to be avoided, but the healthy fats on the list are acceptable.
Spicy foods: Avoid “hot” foods like chili peppers, horseradish, black pepper, and sauces and condiments that contain them, as well as anything else that is considered to be spicy.
Salty foods: According to research, salty foods may encourage H. pylori growth.3 Pickles, olives, and other fermented or brined vegetables contain a lot of salt and are associated with an increased risk of H. pylori ulcers.
Chocolate: Some people get reflux symptoms when they consume chocolate since it can stimulate the production of stomach acid.
How the Ulcer Diet Works
An ulcer diet helps the stomach lining and the duodenum, the first section of the small intestine that connects to the stomach, recover faster and experience less inflammation. It also reduces the formation of extra acid, which can irritate an ulcer.
There are no set guidelines for what meals to eat, but try to include as many items as you can from the list of the finest options up top. Foods that aggravate your symptoms or cause reflux and acid production should be avoided without a doubt.
Consuming adequate protein is also crucial. Aim for 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight while your ulcer is healing. That translates to roughly 3 ounces for a lady weighing 140 pounds and 4 ounces for a man weighing 200 pounds every day.
Your balanced diet, which should consist of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, should provide the remaining calories. Increased fiber intake may reduce the incidence of ulcers, but a Korean study indicated that high-fiber diets only had a male-specific effect on peptic ulcer disease risk. Asking your doctor about your consumption of fiber is a smart idea.
Duration
When your doctor declares that your ulcer is fully cured, you should continue to follow an ulcer diet before returning to your regular eating habits.
However, if you feel better while on the diet or if you smoke or have other ulcer risk factors, it would be worthwhile to keep up this eating style—even if in a restricted form.
suggested timing
Instead of three substantial meals a day, try to eat five or six smaller ones. Every time you eat, stomach acid is created, but large meals require a lot more of it for digestion, which can be uncomfortable.
For better digestion and less acid reflux, finish eating at least three hours before going to bed, and try to remain upright for a few hours after your last bite.
Cooking tips
Instead of frying, stick to low-fat cooking techniques like roasting, braising, and grilling. Additionally, use butter and oils sparingly because they can be difficult to stomach.
Changing a Diet for UlcersIn some circumstances, inflammatory bowel illnesses or celiac disease can cause ulcers. While you are on the ulcer diet, make sure to stick to any particular diet you employ to treat those problems.
Avoiding grains containing gluten, such as wheat, rye, and barley, as well as reading food labels carefully to look for sources of hidden gluten are necessary for those who have celiac disease.
This may entail avoiding the milk sugars in lactose-based meals, abstaining from carbonated beverages, and picking lower-fiber foods if you have an inflammatory bowel illness.
Considerations
When adopting the ulcer diet, other elements could come into play that could have an impact on your general health.
Basic Nutrition
A diet for ulcers shouldn’t impair your overall nutritional health. When you stop eating the foods that aggravate your ulcer, you can still acquire the nutrients you need from other foods as long as you keep healthy diversity in your diet.
An ulcer diet may be even more nutrient-dense than a regular diet if you work to increase the amount of fiber and foods high in polyphenols while reducing the amount of fatty foods in your diet.
Practicality
When you cook your own meals at home, sticking to an ulcer diet should be very simple. When you are traveling, going to events, or having a holiday, it could be more difficult to keep on track. Make it a tiny one if you must have that wine glass or slice of chocolate cake.
Health and Energy
You might find that you’re eating healthier, feeling better, and perhaps even losing some weight if you put fast food, chips, and alcohol off bounds.
Summary
There are a number of potential causes for stomach ulcers, and food alone does not cause them. However, the foods you select can have a significant impact on how you feel and how quickly your body heals.A diet for ulcers provides solutions to enhance nutrition and general health while lowering your risk of developing ulcers.