Gastritis is a general name for a group of conditions characterized by inflammation, irritation, or erosion of the mucous membranes of the stomach.The cause of gastritis can be a bacterial or viral infection, stress, certain medications, excessive alcohol consumption, bile reflux... With such a list of prerequisites, it is not surprising that one in two people on the planet suffers from gastritis.For some it is asymptomatic, for others it appears suddenly (acute gastritis), for others it prevents them from living permanently (chronic gastritis).The symptoms of gastritis are as follows:
- Stomach pain;
- Loss of appetite.
- Hiccup.
- Swelling.
- Nausea.
- Vomit.
- Abdominal pain.
- The stool is dark in color and has the consistency of tar.
All this is very unpleasant, and even more unpleasant are the likely consequences of gastritis, such as ulcers or stomach cancer.But wait until you panic!The disease is not so terrible if you follow a diet for gastritis.
Who needs a diet for gastritis?To all those whose lives poison in one way or another.Since gastritis is an inflammation of the stomach, it is extremely important to monitor what enters the stomach.Some foods contribute to the development and intensification of inflammation, while others, on the contrary, “calm” it.Even if gastritis is asymptomatic, you should still follow the diet, at least in general terms, to prevent the disease from worsening.
What not to eat if you have gastritis
The fundamental aspect of nutrition for gastritis is not to irritate an already irritated stomach, that is, to eat foods that are as neutral as possible.This does not mean, of course, that until the end of time you will be able to eat only steamed chicken and vegetables without salt, but you will have to give up all kinds of spicy, salty, dried and smoked foods, especially if the doctor has prescribed you a diet for high-acid gastritis.So, what shouldn't you eat?
- Spicy dishes.This includes many national dishes: Korean kimchi, Thai tom yum, Mexican tacos.
- Fatty foods.This also includes fast food: the amount of fat in it is much higher than usual.Studies have repeatedly shown that consuming too much fat makes gastritis worse, and that's certainly not what you want.
- Alcohol.Any alcohol is a risk factor provoking gastritis attacks, so it is better to give it up completely.Even a small portion can be the straw that breaks the camel's back.
- Highly acidic foods.This includes, for example, citrus fruits.
- Sweets and pickles.Unfortunately, both also irritate the stomach lining, so you'll need to salt and sweeten your food in moderation.This also includes industrially produced juices and soft drinks - in no case are they in the list of what you can drink if you have gastritis.
- Oven.It is best to buy or bake wholemeal bread.
- Kvass.Definitely not.
- Fermented milk products.The gastric mucosa is also not friendly to them.This also includes whole milk.You can use sour cream, but not much.
- Spices and sauces.Be careful with them: even ketchup can provoke an attack, not to mention adjika.The coffee grinder with the pepper mixture will have to be removed from the table, and the mustard will also be superfluous.
Sometimes the cause of inflammation can be an allergy to something, but these are rather rare cases.
To make it easier for you to navigate, here are some examples of foods that should be excluded from the gastritis diet.
You can't eat:sausages, fresh bread, baked goods, fatty cheeses, sweets and cakes, pickles, pies, scrambled eggs, fried cutlets, hodgepodge, kharcho, dried meat, cherries, currants, cranberries, chips, ready-to-eat foods, fatty meats, onions, corn, chocolate, nuts, garlic, boiled eggs, ready-to-eat foods, liver, fatty fish (salmon, tuna), canned food, legumes, mushrooms, unripe fruits.
You can't drink:cocoa, strong tea, fruit juices, any alcohol, carbonated sweet drinks, energy drinks.
In general, nutrition for gastritis depends on the acidity of the stomach and, accordingly, the need to increase it, decrease it or "leave it alone".
If your acidity is high, eliminate excess coffee, rye bread, citrus fruits, tomatoes, meat and fish broths, turnips, white cabbage, pearl barley, barley and millet.However, you should not overdo it with all these products, even low-acid ones.By the way, if the temperature is high, you can make milk soups, but if it is low, you should not.
Additionally, food sensitivities can vary from person to person, so you can try, for example, cabbage, nuts or dairy products for gastritis (strictly outside of flare-ups and in small doses).If everything is in order, small doses of these products can be left in the diet.However, the “let's try” method categorically does not apply to fatty, spicy or salty foods, much less alcohol.The stomach here definitely won't say thank you, and not because it can't speak.
Diet for gastritis: what you can eat
Now let's talk about what you can eat with gastritis.It may seem that we have already mentioned everything in the previous paragraph, but fortunately this is not the case.However, before moving on to the list of permitted products, we will provide the general recommendations of doctors.So:
- Eat fractionally, that is, often and in small portions, so as not to overload the stomach.5-6 times a day – and the inflammation will start to calm down.
- The food should be hot.Food that is too cold or too hot will irritate the stomach lining and inflammation will increase.
- The more thoroughly you chew, the better.Regardless of whether you have high- or low-acid gastritis, a gastritis diet primarily involves eliminating foods that may mechanically irritate the stomach.This is why it is recommended to eat pureed and pureed food during flare-ups.
- Everything should be stewed, boiled or steamed.You should not eat fried foods.
Let's move on to the main point: what can you eat with gastritis?The list will be quite impressive.There will be no particular problems if you eat:
- Lean meat: chicken, turkey, preferably rabbit.Steamed cutlets, baked meat, tongue.
- Lean fish: cod or hake.
- Dry white bread, perhaps yesterday's bread.
- Dairy products are low in fat and sugar and will benefit from probiotics.
- Pasta (better small, wholemeal, but normal pasta is also fine, for example "cobweb").
- Vegetables: broccoli, pumpkin, carrots, cauliflower, potatoes, courgettes.You can eat greens: dill, parsley, just cut them smaller.
- Fruit: Baked apples are number one.If the acidity is low, you can use citrus fruits.All fruits must be ripe.
- Sweets: marshmallow, marshmallow, honey, sour jam or jam in small quantities.
- Dairy products: dishes made from cottage cheese and cottage cheese, low-fat milk, kefir, yogurt.
- Oil: Butter or refined vegetable oil.
- Broths: vegetable, low acidity, meat and fish, in any case weak.
- Cereals: buckwheat, rice, oatmeal, semolina, you can cook porridge, make puddings or casseroles.
- Eggs: soft-boiled, in the form of a steamed omelet (by the way, it comes out well in the microwave).
As you can see, the disease allows you to follow a varied and balanced diet.If a child has been diagnosed with inflammation of the stomach, the question of what can be eaten with gastritis is also not worth it, just follow the list above.Now about the drinking:
- Dried fruit compote and more: we remember kindergarten.By the way, very tasty and healthy.
- Kissel.
- Weak tea.
- For low acidity – coffee.
- Rosehip decoction.
Let's say it again: It's especially important to follow a diet during flare-ups and for the next two weeks.Other times you can indulge yourself, but it's better not to get carried away, otherwise you will have to sit on pureed porridges and soups for half a month - not a good prospect.
Approximate weekly diet for stomach inflammation
Below we have prepared a menu for you from which you can get an idea of how to eat with gastritis.We hope it helps you!
Monday
Breakfast: oatmeal with a piece of butter and a spoonful of honey.
Second breakfast: yogurt.
Lunch: vegetable soup.
Snack: light tea, marshmallows.
Dinner: pasta with steamed cutlet.
Tuesday
Breakfast: soft-boiled eggs, compote.
Second breakfast: cottage cheese casserole.
Lunch: meatballs with steamed vegetables.
Snack: cooked apple.
Dinner: chicken or vegetable broth with white croutons.
Wednesday
Breakfast: semolina porridge.
Second breakfast: a glass of yogurt, marshmallows.
Lunch: rice with fish.
Snack: bananas
Dinner: vegetable casserole (in case you have leftover vegetables from Tuesday).
Thursday
Breakfast: lazy dumplings.
Second breakfast: dry bread, low-fat cheese.
Lunch: Vegetable soup with chicken meatballs.
Snack: apple pie (not fried).
Dinner: boiled meat and vegetable salad.
Friday
Breakfast: steamed omelette.
Second breakfast: pear.It is better to peel off the skin.
Lunch: Buckwheat porridge with chicken breast.
Snack: ricotta pudding.
Dinner: steamed vegetable stew.
Saturday
Breakfast: cheesecake (less oil and don't fry too much).
Second breakfast: savory pie with boiled meat.
Lunch: pilaf with fruit.
Snack: fruit jelly.
Dinner: Potato casserole with meat.
Sunday
Breakfast: pasta machine.
Second breakfast: banana smoothie.
Lunch: boiled sea urchins with broccoli.
Snack: ricotta soufflé.
Dinner: beetroot soup (if fresh vegetables are tolerated).
To all this you can optionally add drinks - whatever you like best and does not cause stomach pain.As you can see, even if you have gastritis, nutrition with gastritis cannot be called inadequate.We have also found some recipes for you that might help you calm your stomach, or at least not damage it.
Recipes for an inflamed stomach
Vegetable puree soup
Ingredients: any vegetable that doesn't give you a stomach ache, such as courgettes, a handful of broccoli, a couple of potatoes and a couple of carrots, water, a third of a glass of cream (provided your stomach doesn't hurt, otherwise you can replace the butter), aromatic herbs and salt to taste.
Preparation: Cook the vegetables in a saucepan until they are almost soft.Salt the water, add the cream, mix and cook until the vegetables are completely soft.Use a potato masher or blender to puree the soup.That's all!Finely chop the vegetables and sprinkle them over the soup already in the bowl.
Rice porridge with vegetables and meat
Ingredients: rice, chicken fillet, a handful of broccoli florets, a large carrot.
Preparation: cook the rice and chicken breast until half cooked (you can do this in a pan).Fry the broccoli and grated carrots in olive oil, you can also add some chopped pepper.Cut the chicken into slices, mix all the ingredients in a baking dish (don't forget to add salt), pour in the chicken broth so that it covers the rice, put everything in the oven until cooked.It will turn out not only tasty, but also beautiful.