Gastritis Diet : What Food to Eat and What to Avoid

Gastritis affects the inner lining of the stomach, causing inflammation. While the reason behind the stomach inflammation can differ from person to person, it can be acute or chronic.

There are two types of conditions – Acute gastritis and Chronic gastritis. Acute one may not impact your overall health. However, chronic gastritis can lead to stomach ulcers followed by cancer.

A 2017 statistic suggests that about 55% of 61-year-olds and older people suffer from heartburn compared to younger ones. Again, these statistics confirm that women with gastritis might suffer more than male. The symptoms of gastritis include:

• Bloating
• Satiation
• Nausea
• Burning stomach pain

Maintaining a balanced and healthy diet can be a lifesaver for people suffering from gastritis. While the gastritis diet should include alkaline, fibre-rich, boiled, and bland food, it should lack acidic, fried, sugary, processed, and refined foods. When it comes to gastritis, choosing the proper diet can make a huge difference.

• High Fiber diet
• Low saturated fats
• Non-caffeinated and non-carbonated drinks
• Alkaline fruits and veggies

1. Ideal Diet for Avoiding the Effects of Gastritis

The ideal diet that helps in alleviating the ill effects of gastritis may include:

1.1. Whole Grains

Grains like brown rice, quinoa, oats, and whole wheat are rich in fibre, vitamins, and antioxidants¹, making them a gastritis-friendly diet. These grains don’t put too much pressure on your stomach lining and help make your bowel movements easier, avoiding gas formation. Whole grains are beneficial as they:

• Provides energy for a longer duration by slow digestion and slow release of glucose
• Supports better digestive health
• Absorbs excessive acid-reducing inflammation

1.2. Alkaline Fruits and Vegetables

Non-acidic fruits and vegetables are subtle for the stomach, making them ideal choices for gastritis. You can include fruits like bananas, apples, and papaya and veggies like squash, carrots, and spinach in your regular diet.

These fruits and vegetables have a higher pH, which balances the overall pH of the stomach, making you feel better. The benefits of eating a high-pH and anti-inflammatory diet:

• Supports overall digestive health
• Strengthens the immune system
• Aids proper digestion, reducing the risk of inflammation

1.3. Non-dairy or Low Fat Dairy 

Dairy milk is acidic due to casein protein and carbon dioxide. Thus, consuming non-dairy and low-fat dairy products like soya milk, yoghurt, and cheese can help balance the acid in the stomach. 

The calcium in milk can help strengthen bones, and the proteins drive enhanced immunity and tissue repair. Non-dairy products are beneficial as:

• It provides all nutrients without compromising the stomach’s comfort
• It doesn’t get harsh on the stomach
• Reduces irritation and bloating

1.4. Non-Caffeinated Drinks

Fluids are essential for stomach health. Ginger tea or herbal tea helps neutralise stomach acid and prevent gastritis.

The soothing effect of this drink aids in calming the stomach and provides anti-inflammatory functions in the body.

The beneficial features of having non-caffeinated drinks include:

• Reduced irritation
• Decreased acid production
• Keeps the body hydrated

1.5. Lean Proteins

Consuming lean proteins is an essential part that provides the body with the necessary nutrients for healing and repair. 

These proteineous foods may include poultry, fish, and tofu. Incorporating leguminous foods like beans and lentils can also be highly beneficial.

These items reduce strain on the stomach and hence mitigate inflammation. Here are the benefits of lean proteins for gastritis:

• It contains specific amino acids that are required for tissue repair
• Stabilizes the body’s sugar
• Provides a feeling of fullness to the body.

2. Foods to Avoid When You Have Gastritis

While understanding a gastritis diet, it is important to get a brief idea about the foods to avoid. This prevents the situation from exacerbating. Here is a list of foods that you should say “No” to.

2.1. Spicy Foods

Let’s imagine a scenario in which you enjoyed having spicy food but then experienced severe stomach pain, spoiling your evening.

Well, spices elevate the flavour of the food but can irritate your stomach for gastritis². Chilli peppers, spicy curry, and hot sauce can increase acid production, causing inflammation. 

Further, consuming citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, or tomatoes can lead to discomfort, heartburn, and acid reflux. 

If you can’t prevent it altogether, it’s important to minimize consumption. Spices like onion and garlic can also be harmful, so try to avoid them.

2.2. Fried Foods

Fried and fatty foods can be a slow poison for people with gastritis. They increase inflammation, causing damage. The bad news is that fast foods are harmful to your body. 

French fries, fried chicken, and high-fat meals can increase stomach acid production, causing bloating, indigestion, and discomfort. 

The overall situation can be harmful as it can cause further inflammation, worsening the current situation. You can boil, steam, or air fry your food to keep yourself healthy.

2.3. Caffeinated Beverages

Caffeinated beverages like energy drinks, tea, and coffee can stimulate acid production in the stomach, triggering enhanced irritation. Caffeine can also affect the central nervous system, increasing the heart rate and causing discomfort. 

Further, caffeine can have a diuretic effect on the body, increasing urine production. Drinking caffeinated drinks can undoubtedly aggravate gastritis.

It’s always better to limit or prevent drinking caffeinated drinks than to cure them. Alternatives may include herbal tea or decaffeinated products that can help you fight acute or chronic gastritis.

2.4. Carbonated Products

Carbonated products contain acidic carbon dioxide. The bubbles produced in these products can increase gas formation and bloating.

Regular consumption of carbonated products can weaken the oesophagus sphincter and cause acid reflux. 

2.5. Alcohol

Drinking too much alcohol can irritate your stomach and make gastritis symptoms worse. If you keep drinking a lot, it can make your stomach lining weaker and harm your organs inside.

Alcohol can further interfere with the absorption of nutrients and cause problems like bloating, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea.

If you are a person prone to gastritis, it is always advisable to limit alcohol consumption to promote healing of the stomach lining.

3. Tips to Manage Gastritis

Besides the right food, incorporating other dietary habits can alleviate gastritis and promote healing. Here’s a detailed guide.

3.1. Take Small but Frequent Meals

Small frequent meals are preferable in case of gastritis than large meals. When you eat a lot at once, the stomach can feel a sudden stretch, triggering discomfort. 

Moreover, eating heavily can cause acid reflux, aiding irritation and inflammation. Thus, spreading out meals maintains a time for proper digestion and helps in the immediate absorption of nutrients.

Make a routine to eat in 3-4 hours with a small proportion. Focus on grabbing nutrient-rich foods such as lean proteins, alkaline fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. This can prevent any gush and keep you healthy.

3.2. Drink Enough Water

Water is a miracle drink. It not only helps with quick digestion but also dilutes the acid in your stomach. This diluted acid has no more significant impact on your health.

Staying hydrated helps rejuvenate the stomach lining and supports digestive function. To remain physically active, drink plenty of water—at least 8-10 glasses—and increase the amount if you are from a hot area.

The benefits that water has on the body include:

• Lubricates the digestive tract
• It helps in faster digestion
• Flushes out toxins and waste products
• Produces and dilutes the gastric juices that help in efficient food breaking and absorption.

Do not gulp water instantly; it may be harmful, as the acid will dilute soon. Instead, try sipping water regularly to avoid any detrimental conditions.

3.3. Limit the Use of Non-Steroidal Drugs

Try to refrain from using excessive NSAIDs³. Instead, some topical treatments can be used to lessen inflammation. These alternative pain management strategies can benefit the body without causing any damage.

Again, if in the emergency case you are taking these drugs, always take them with food so that it doesn’t have a harsh effect on an empty stomach.

Never hesitate to take professional advice if the pain continues. Always use prescribed medicines to remain away from any side effects.

3.4. Avoid Trigger Foods

Don’t eat food that can trigger gastritis. Trigger foods are edible items that elevate gastritis symptoms like pain, discomfort, and irritation. Always keep track of the food you need to eat and avoid. 

Stay away from super spicy, fried, and caffeine-rich food. Once you have identified your trigger food, avoid consuming it! Be mindful of consuming specific food and adjust to support your stomach’s well-being.

3.5. Manage Stress

Stress is the primary cause of a myriad of problems today. People suffer from a list of diseases due to stress. It doesn’t directly impact soothing gastritis, but it can indirectly make the situation worse for you if not managed properly. 

Here are some of the tips that can help you in managing stress:

• Incorporate regular exercise into your routine. You can just be involved in proper exercise or have a calm walk to elevate your mood and reduce stress.
• Practice stress-reducing slow-living exercises like yoga, meditation, and stretching to keep your mind functional.
• Prioritize self-care activities like creating routine hobbies, going for a walk, or having a great family time snacking and watching a movie.

4. Causes of Gastritis

The inflammation caused to the stomach lining can combine several factors. These factors include:

4.1. Bile Reflux

The liver produces bile juice, which helps in efficient digestion. However, due to an unhealthy diet, the bile juice is reverted from the small intestine into the stomach.

This opposite movement can irritate the stomach lining and thus cause inflammation. The bile reflux is seen in the patients who have just undergone any gall bladder surgery. 

4.2. Bacterial Infections

Helicobacter pylori⁴ infection is a major bacteria responsible for gastritis. This bacteria produces acids that cause irritation and inflammation in the stomach. 

If not treated in time, H. Pylori can persist from childhood and cause severe infections. Research suggests that H. pylori is linked to gastric cancer.

4.3. Stress

Stress, combined with other factors, can be detrimental to the body. The stress alone can not cause any damage but can excavate the underlying situation like:

• Weakens immune system
• It makes you prone to H.pylori
• Increases acid production

4.4. Autoimmune diseases

Sometimes, the body may produce auto-antibodies that can attach to the stomach lining. The autoimmune diseases include Crohn’s disease, Hashimoto thyroiditis, and Type 1 diabetes.

The antibodies produced mistakenly attack the body, leading to severe inflammation in the stomach, which causes gastritis. This type of gastritis is termed autoimmune gastritis.

4.5. Regular usage of NSAIDs

Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory drugs can be harmful in the long term. Although these drugs reduce inflammation, prolonged usage can cause more damage than healing.

High dosages can irritate the stomach and cause gastritis. To cope with the situation, NSAIDs can be taken with food that can help reduce recurring gastritis.

5. Takeaway

To sum up, taking care of the stomach with the right food habits can help ease gastritis. Choose a gastritis-friendly diet and stick to it to avoid worsening the situation. Wise choices of foods and drinks can significantly impact the body. Let your stomach get healthy food to be healthy. 

Don’t forget to incorporate healthy tips like drinking water, eating frequent meals, and keeping yourself cautious about pain medications. Choose a meal that suits your body and doesn’t negatively impact you. 

Still, if you are unsure about the results, you can consult a dietician or a healthcare doctor to control your gastritis and enjoy a happier and healthier lifestyle. The earlier you seek professional help, the healthier your body can become.

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1. Lenti, Marco Vincenzo, et al. “Autoimmune gastritis.” Nature Reviews Disease Primers 6.1 (2020): 56. ↩︎
2. Lenti, Marco Vincenzo, et al. “Autoimmune gastritis.” Nature Reviews Disease Primers 6.1 (2020): 56. ↩︎
3. Bindu, Samik, Somnath Mazumder, and Uday Bandyopadhyay. “Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and organ damage: A current perspective.” Biochemical pharmacology 180 (2020): 114147. ↩︎
4. Mezmale, Linda, et al. “Epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori.” Helicobacter 25 (2020): e12734. ↩︎

Last Updated on March 28, 2024 by Suchi