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 related to it.In this case, the cause of gastritis is most often not food, but a bacterial infection.
As for the correct menu for acute gastritis, everything depends on whether there is increased or decreased acidity of gastric juice - this affects the list of permitted and prohibited foods.In the material below you will find sample menus for each case.
Gastritis - the basic 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 into which hydrochloric acid (the basis of gastric juice) enters.
It is estimated that more than half of the world's population are carriers of this bacterium.At the same time, improper nutrition and bad habits can provoke gastritis in an acute form - we are talking about smoking and drinking alcohol (mainly beer), as well as certain foods.
First of all, if you have gastritis, you should not eat spicy, sour or fermenting foods - including coarse crackers, spices, sausages, pickles, as well as carbonated drinks and in some cases gluten-containing yeast (mainly baked goods).
Diet for acute gastritis
Exacerbation of gastritis can be caused by several reasons, including alcohol, poor diet, allergic reaction to food components, or taking medications.Acute gastritis can also occur due to consumption of expired meat and dairy products.
In severe cases (especially if there is dark blood in the vomit and almost black stools) it is recommended to seek medical help.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 mushy foods.
What can you eat with acute gastritis:
- viscous and well-cooked porridge;
- boiled or stewed vegetables, vegetable purees;
- berry, fruit and dried fruit jelly;
- a small amount of boiled meat, ground in a blender;
- vegetable fats.
What can you eat - and what can't you?
Nutrition for gastritis depends on whether there is increased or decreased acidity.In the first case, it is recommended to avoid foods that stimulate the production of hydrochloric acid, while in the second case, they will be useful in the diet.Keep in mind that in practice, gastritis with increased acidity is more common.
In addition, 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 mushy foods, taken warm in small portions.
What you should not eat if you have gastritis:
- too hot and cold food;
- rough food that can damage the stomach;
- products that cause fermentation;
- heavy fatty foods;
- most spices (including pepper);
- most sauces (mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard);
- carbonated beverages;
- 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 grain cereals), lean meat and eggs.Pasta and a small amount of fresh bread are acceptable, but it is better to avoid sweet cakes, biscuits and crackers.Food should be chewed thoroughly.
Keep in mind that with gastritis with low acidity of the gastric juice, you can eat a small amount of fruit (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 for excessive acid production, but is prohibited for insufficient acid production (it lowers the acidity of the stomach).
Sample menus for gastritis
The menu presented below presents recommendations for gastritis with high acidity.To ease 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, but you should have dinner no later than 2-3 hours before going to bed.
When choosing food products, preference should be given to fresh and natural foods, and dry snacks, ready meals, semi-finished products and canned goods should be excluded.Legumes (from peas to lentils) and other products that provoke the formation of gases (onions, cabbage, radishes) are a separate danger - 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 of stewed vegetables.
- Afternoon snack: oatmeal, dried fruit compote.
- Dinner: pureed vegetable soup, steamed chicken cutlets.
- Before going to 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, peach and flaxseed.
- Lunch: chicken broth with pasta and carrots.
- Afternoon snack: fluffy omelette with milk.
- Dinner: mashed sweet potatoes, meatballs.
- Before going to bed: a glass of warm skimmed milk.
Eating red meat with gastritis is not prohibited, but it is better to give preference to lean beef, finely chopped or ground - 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 gastritis diet is based on avoiding foods that cause mechanical and thermal damage to the stomach (coarse, excessively hot foods) and eating foods that are easy to digest.We are talking about alkaline vegetables in stewed, baked and boiled form, various compotes, as well as lean meat (sliced or minced).If you have gastritis with high acidity, you can drink milk;if you have low acidity, it is prohibited.