Diet Chart For gastritis

Gastritis diet is required to help against gastritis. Gastritis occurs when the stomach lining and the gastrointestinal tract get inflamed. Since gastritis is a digestive condition, amending your diet to incorporate dietary practices that will reduce gastritis is immensely helpful. Avoiding certain foods and adding others is a sure way to manage gastritis.

The following are some basic aspects of the gastritis diet that should be taken note of:

1. Caffeinated and carbonated drinks and alcoholic beverages must be avoided. This is because they are known to irritate the stomach lining and worsen the symptoms of gastritis. Instead, green tea consumption is advised as it is low in caffeine and anti-inflammatory.
2. Foods which are alkaline in nature and low in acidity such as vegetables should be consumed. Care must be taken to avoid eating high acid foods such as tomatoes and citrus fruits like lemons and oranges as they are not good for the stomach especially for individuals suffering from gastritis.
3. Foods such as apples, broccoli, carrot, beans and oatmeal which are high in fibre are strongly recommended whereas fatty and fried foods are to be completely avoided and to be substituted with low-fat foods such as turkey breast, fish and chicken.
4. Foods rich in anti-oxidants like those high in vitamins A and C and flavonoids such as bell peppers, leafy greens, artichokes, garlic, ginger and berries are known to reduce inflammation and reduce the risk of digestive disorders.

1. Coffee and/or tea- Caffeine content which leads to GERD.
2. Spicy food- Spices and 'masalas' as we call it, are always proved to be an irritating agent and many a times the cause for gastric irritation.
3. Alcohol- It not only adds empty calories to the body but also worsens the condition by excessive fermentation of sugar present in it as a result excess acid production in the stomach in combination of others ligitimate conditions may lead to gastric ulcers.
4. Acidic foods, such as citrus and tomatoes- The higher the acidic content of the foods the more probability of excess acidic evironment inside the stomach and so gastric ulcers.
5. Raw vegetables/ salads- have to be avoided as they may cause irritation of mucosa and there are cahnces of H.pylori infection.
6. High fibre diet- it may erode/ irritate the mucosa due to its rough texture.

Do's:

1. Being overworked and overstressed are like extending a direct invitation to gastric problems. The body loses its ability to perform normal digestive functions and is often associated with increased production of stomach acids.
2. Having 5 small easily digestible meals a day at proper intervals is a key to good digestive health. Eating slowly without talking and chewing the food properly also improves digestion. It reduces intestinal gas as less air is swallowed during the eating process.
3. Emotional eating too causes such disorders. So it is very important to fix any so called underlying reasons, be it psychological or emotional to make a complete recovery from the said condition.
4. A prerequisite in order to achieve a healthy digestive process is an efficiently hydrated body. Drinking 8-10 glasses of water every day is mandatory to prevent any gastric complications. Drinking 2-3 glasses of luke warm water first thing in the morning is said to help with regular bowel movements and relieve indigestion and flatulence.
5. There are a lot of food items which go a long way in maintaining a healthy digestive tract. Probiotics are the friendly bacteria of the gut. They help in breaking down the food and making it easy for the body to digest it. Fermented milk products like yogurt contain the bacteria lactobacillus which is known to promote digestion. Non glutenous grains, non citric fruits and vegetables, high fiber and lean protein meats are the best choices.

Don'ts:

1. Avoiding foods like complex carbohydrate and proteins (difficult to be broken down) following a gastric attack would be a good idea.
2. Avoiding alcohol and smoking is absolutely essential to recover from a gastric attack. Prolonged intake of these could cause irrepairable damage to the gut.
3. Staying away from certain medications like acetaminophens, analgesics, ibuprofen, non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs is important in preventing gastritis.
4. Caffeinated beverages like sodas, tea and coffee should be taken in a controlled portion. Keeping away from wheat, tomatoes, lemons, red meat etc is essential.
5. Staying away from dairy is also recommended in gastritis. Anything hot and spicy like peppers, black pepper or red chili powder should be kept away from. These have a history of causing irritation in the gastric lining. Vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts, beans are tougher on the gut and should be stayed away from.

1. Cereals & Pulses: Cereals (rice, oats, jowar, bajra and ragi) and pulses (red gram, green gram, bengal gram and black gram dals)(properly cooked).
2. Fruits & vegetables: Fruits (stewed apple, banana, papaya, pomegranate, pear, melons (water melon, musk melon) and vegetables (all gourds, ladies finger, tinda, green leafy vegetables (indian spinach, fenugreek leaves, corriander leaves).
3. Meat, Fish & Poultry: Lean meat, skin less chicken, fish (mackerel, trout, sardine, salmon, tuna).
4. Milk & Milk products: Yoghurt, other fermented milk products. Nuts & Oils: Almonds, walnuts, pista, olive oil, Sunflower oil, Saff flower oil, rice bran oil.