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 nutrition at all, but a bacterial infection.
As for the correct menu for acute gastritis, it all depends on the increase or decrease in the acidity of gastric juice - this affects the list of permitted and prohibited foods.You will find examples of menus for each case in the following material.
Gastritis: the main rules of nutrition
Medicine believes that the main cause of gastritis is a bacterial infection.The Helicobacter pylori bacterium settles in the lower esophagus and moves inside the mucosa, forming microchannels into which hydrochloric acid (the basis 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 cause gastritis in acute form: we are talking about smoking and the consumption of alcohol (mainly beer) and some foods.
First of all, if you have gastritis, you should not eat spicy, acidic or fermentable foods, including coarse 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 nutrition, an allergic reaction to food components or taking medications.Acute gastritis can also occur due to consumption of stale meat and expired dairy products.
In more serious cases (especially if dark blood and almost black stools are present in the vomit), it is advisable to consult a doctor.In mild cases, exacerbation of gastritis can be treated by following a strict diet with a minimal amount of solid foods and switching to viscous, mushy foods.
What you can eat for acute gastritis:
- viscous, well-cooked porridge;
- boiled or stewed vegetables, vegetable puree;
- berry, fruit and dried fruit jelly;
- a small amount of boiled meat, crushed in a blender;
- vegetable fats.
What can you eat and what not?
Nutrition for gastritis depends on increasing or decreasing acidity.In the first case it is advisable to avoid foods that stimulate 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.
Also, with 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 excess salt are prohibited.
The diet for gastritis should consist mainly of liquid and porridge-like foods, taken warm in small portions.
What not to eat if you have gastritis:
- excessively hot and cold food;
- rough 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 (well-cooked whole grains), lean meat and eggs.Pasta and a small amount of fresh bread are acceptable, but sweets, biscuits and crackers are best avoided.Food must be chewed thoroughly.
Keep in mind 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 excessive acid production, but it is prohibited if acid production is insufficient (lowers stomach acidity).
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 have dinner no later than 2-3 hours before bedtime.
When choosing food products, preference should be given to fresh and natural food, while dry snacks, ready meals, semi-finished products and canned food should be excluded.Legumes (from peas to lentils) and other products that cause gas formation (onions, cabbage, radishes) represent a separate danger: they should not be consumed if you suffer from gastritis.For the same reason, rye and yeast products are prohibited.
Menu for gastritis: example 1
- Breakfast: rice porridge with raisins in milk, weak hot tea.
- Second breakfast: smoothie with milk, banana and chia seeds.
- Lunch: baked fish with a side dish of stewed vegetables.
- Afternoon snack: oat flakes, dried fruit compote.
- Dinner: blended vegetable soup, steamed chicken cutlets.
- Before bed: a glass of warm skimmed milk.
Menu for gastritis: example 2
- Breakfast: oatmeal with dried fruit and milk, tea.
- Second breakfast: smoothie cocktail with milk, peach and flax seeds.
- Lunch: chicken broth with pasta and carrots.
- Afternoon snack: soft omelette with milk.
- Dinner: Sweet potato mash, meatballs.
- Before bed: a glass of warm skimmed milk.
It is not forbidden to eat red meat for gastritis, but it is better to give preference to lean meat, finely chopped or minced - you can use it to make cutlets, meatballs or simply 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 eat the dish too hot.
The gastritis diet is based on avoiding foods that cause mechanical and thermal damage to the stomach (rough, excessively hot foods) and on eating foods that are easy to digest.We are talking about stewed, baked and boiled alkaline vegetables, various compotes, as well as lean meat (chopped or minced).If you have high-acid gastritis, you can drink milk;if you have low acidity, it is prohibited.