Gastritis Diet

Gastritis is an inflammation or irritation in the stomach lining. The notable symptoms of gastritis are nausea, abdominal discomfort, bloating, stomach cramps, indigestion, vomiting, loss of appetite, hiccups and black color stools. Symptoms may develop suddenly (acute) or may occur over a period of time (chronic). Gastritis can be caused due to many reasons, viz., stress, frequent vomiting, bacterial and viral infections, bile reflux and deficiency of vitamin B12. Majority of acute gastritis are caused due to excessive alcohol intake and prolonged use of anti-inflammatory drugs.

Gastritis is diagnosed by examining the physical symptoms and analyzing the medical and family history of the patient. For confirmation, the physician may conduct blood test, stool test, upper endoscopy and other imaging tests. After proper diagnosis and depending upon the severity of the condition, the doctor may prescribe certain treatment options. In addition, the doctor also recommends a certain diet plan for alleviating the symptoms of gastritis. Let's take a look at the diet plan for gastritis patients.

Gastritis Diet

Diet for gastritis patients should include easily digestible foods. There is no particular diet plan for people with gastritis problems. In fact, the person should consume a balance diet, consisting of foods that can be digested easily. It is not necessary to consume small servings frequently, rather one can have regular meals. At times, frequent eating may increase the acid secretion in the stomach, thus aggravating gastritis symptoms.

Since milk and dairy products increases acid secretion in the stomach, there should be maximum three servings of dairy foods per day or if possible, less than three servings of such dairy foods. Selecting low-fat foods help in controlling acid production by the stomach. It is to be noted that diet should contain adequate amount of fiber. Contrary to the common belief that fiber worsens stomach discomfort, it is observed that fiber rich foods improve the digestive health and maintains regular bowel movement. An effective diet for gastritis patient is a combination of spinach and carrot juice.

There are chances of flatulence (excess gas) after consumption of some fruits and vegetables. Such foods may include cabbage, broccoli, dried beans, onions, peas and fruits with peels. It is always advisable to limit the intake of tomatoes and citrus fruit juices as they can lead to heartburn. A patient of gastritis should be aware of foods that cause stomach problems and try to avoid them.

Gastritis patients should strictly avoid alcohol and spicy foods. Spices like red and black pepper, chili and chili powder can irritate the stomach lining. Other foods that can increase production of stomach acid are caffeine products like cocoa, chocolate, coffee and tea. Avoid these caffeine products, if stomach upset increases after consuming them.

In order to retain body fluids and minimize acid secretion, 6 - 8 glasses of water and other low acid fruit juices should be taken everyday. These diet plan, if followed, will help in the proper treatment of gastritis condition. Gastritis should be treated as early as possible. Patients with acute gastritis may recover within a few days, whereas those with chronic gastritis usually takes longer time to heal. If gastritis is left untreated for a prolonged duration, there may be severe health complications such as increased loss of blood and at times, stomach cancer.