Gastritis is a collective term for inflammation of the lining of the stomach or esophagus.It is believed that up to 80% of gastrointestinal diseases are associated with it.In this case, the cause of gastritis is most often not food at all, but a bacterial infection.
As for the exact menu for acute gastritis, it all depends on whether there is an increase or decrease in the acidity of the gastric juice - this affects the list of allowed and prohibited foods.You will find examples of the menu for each case in the material below.
Gastritis - the main rules of nutrition
Medicine believes that the main cause of gastritis is a bacterial infection.The bacterium Helicobacter pylori settles in the lower part of the esophagus and moves inside the mucosa, forming microchannels in which hydrochloric acid (the base of gastric juice) enters.
It is believed that more than half of the world's inhabitants are carriers of this bacterium.At the same time, poor nutrition and bad habits can provoke gastritis in an acute form - we are talking about smoking and drinking alcohol (mainly beer) and certain foods.
First of all, if you have gastritis, you should not eat spicy, sour or fermentable foods - including crackers, spices, sausages, pickles, as well as carbonated drinks and, in some cases, yeast products containing gluten (mainly baked goods).
Diet for acute gastritis
Exacerbation of gastritis can be caused by several reasons, including alcohol, poor diet, allergic reaction to food ingredients or taking medications.Acute gastritis can also occur due to the consumption of stale meat and expired dairy products.
In severe cases (especially if there is dark blood in vomit and almost black stool), it is recommended to seek medical advice.In mild cases, exacerbation of gastritis can be cured by following a strict diet with a minimum amount of solid food and switching to viscous and liquid foods.
What you can eat for acute gastritis:
- viscous and well-cooked porridge;
- boiled or stewed vegetables, pureed vegetables;
- jelly from berries, fruits and dried fruits;
- a small amount of boiled meat, chopped in a blender;
- vegetable fats.
What can you eat - and what not?
Nutrition for gastritis depends on whether there is an increase or decrease in acidity.In the first case, it is recommended to avoid foods that promote the production of hydrochloric acid, while in the second case, they will be useful in the diet.Note that in practice gastritis with high acidity is more common.
In addition, for any type of gastritis, you should not eat foods that cause mechanical and thermal damage to the stomach - mainly crackers and excessively hot foods.Carbonated drinks, hot spices and excessive salt are prohibited.
Diet for gastritis should consist of mostly liquid and porridge-like foods, taken warm in small portions.
What you should not eat if you have gastritis:
- extremely hot and cold food;
- harsh food that can damage the stomach;
- products that cause fermentation;
- heavy fatty foods;
- most spices (including bell pepper);
- most sauces (mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard);
- carbonated drinks;
- alcoholic beverages;
- strong tea, coffee and chocolate.
What can you eat?
Nutrition for gastritis should be based on the consumption of fresh vegetables (they are alkaline in nature and reduce the acidity of gastric juice), natural products (cereals with well-cooked cereals), lean meat and eggs.Pasta and a small amount of fresh bread are acceptable, but it is best to avoid sweet pastries, cookies and crackers.Food should be chewed completely.
Note that with gastritis with low acidity of gastric juice, you can eat a small amount of fruits (mainly citrus fruits) and some dairy products (for example, cottage cheese and cheese) - while with gastritis with high acidity they are not recommended.At the same time, milk is useful if there is excess acid production, but it is forbidden if there is insufficient acid production (it reduces the acidity of the stomach).
Examples of menus for gastritis
The menu presented below presents recommendations for gastritis with high acidity.To facilitate the work of the stomach, food should be taken 5-6 times a day, avoiding long breaks.Also, if you have gastritis, it is not recommended to skip breakfast and you should eat dinner no later than 2-3 hours before bedtime.
When choosing food products, priority should be given to fresh and natural food, while dry food, ready-made food, semi-finished products and canned food should be excluded.Legumes (from peas to lentils) and other products that provoke the formation of gas (onions, cabbage, radish) pose a risk of their own - they should not be consumed if you have gastritis.For the same reason, rye and yeast products are prohibited.
Menu for gastritis: example 1
- Breakfast: rice porridge with raisins in milk, weak warm tea.
- Second breakfast: smoothie with milk, banana and chia seeds.
- Lunch: baked fish with a side dish of stewed vegetables.
- Afternoon snack: oatmeal, dried fruit compote.
- Dinner: pureed vegetable soup, steamed chicken cutlets.
- Before bed: a glass of warm skimmed milk.
Menu for gastritis: example 2
- Breakfast: oatmeal with dried fruits and milk, tea.
- Second breakfast: smoothie cocktail with milk, peaches and flax seeds.
- Lunch: chicken soup with pasta and carrots.
- Afternoon snack: fluffy omelet with milk.
- Dinner: mashed sweet potatoes, meatballs.
- Before bed: a glass of warm skimmed milk.
Eating red meat for gastritis is not prohibited, but it is better to give preference to beef without fat, finely chopped or minced - you can use it to make cutlets, meatballs, or just lightly fry and add to porridge (buckwheat and quinoa).Frying is also not prohibited, but it is important to use only a small amount of vegetable oil and not to eat the dish too hot.
The diet for gastritis is based on avoiding foods that cause mechanical and thermal damage to the stomach (hard, extremely hot foods) and eating foods that are easily digested.It is about alkaline vegetables in boiled, baked and stewed form, various compotes, as well as lean meat (shredded or minced).If you have gastritis with high acidity, you can drink milk;if you have low acidity, it is prohibited.