Ulcer and gastritis can be very distressing conditions, especially when it comes to the choice of food. If you have gastritis or an ulcer your diet should be based on natural foods, rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain foods, and poor in industrialized and processed products like sausages, fried foods, and soft drinks.
This diet facilitates the digestion process, causing food to pass quickly through the stomach, preventing stomach acid from being released in excess, which causes heartburn, pain, and an ulcer to worsen.
Foods to avoid for ulcer patients
There are foods that are more difficult to digest and are highly processed so they should be avoided because they are rich in additives and preservatives that irritate the stomach, such as:
- Processed meats: sausage, bacon, ham, turkey breast, salami, and mortadella;
- Cheese: Yellow and processed cheeses such as cheddar, and provolone;
- Ready-made sauces;
- Seasoning in cubes, meat broths, and instant pasta;
- Frozen ready-made food and fast food;
- Beverages: soft drinks, ready-made juices, coffee, green, mate or black tea;
- Alcoholic beverages;
- Sugar and sweets in general;
- Refined foods and fried foods, such as cakes, white bread, and biscuits;
- White flours, such as seasoned cassava flour, cornflour, and, in some cases, couscous;
- Food high in fat such as fatty meats, chicken skin, liver, and excessively oily fish such as salmon and tuna.
In addition, whole milk and acidic fruit such as lemon, orange, and pineapple should also be avoided if symptoms of heartburn or stomach pain occur after eating them.
