What should people with stomach problems not eat? To reduce the frequency of stomach ailments, in addition to eating more foods that nourish the stomach, it's also important to eat fewer foods that harm the stomach. So, what should people with stomach problems avoid eating? Below, the editor will list them for you one by one.
According to relevant data, the incidence of stomach problems exceeds 80% in the population and is growing at an annual rate of 17% among those who have not yet developed the condition. However, people pay far less attention to stomach health than to other internal organs like the heart, liver, and kidneys, and some may not even be aware they have a stomach problem.
To protect stomach health, the first step is to prevent and treat *Helicobacter pylori*, and secondly, one should focus on daily care, with a principle of "three parts treatment, seven parts nourishment," where nourishment is key. So, what should people with stomach problems not eat?
What should people with stomach problems not eat?
1. Staple Foods: Eat less gas-producing legumes. People who are prone to bloating should eat less or avoid soybeans, black beans, mung beans, and other ingredients because they are difficult to digest and can easily produce gas. Other miscellaneous beans like kidney beans, adzuki beans, and chickpeas can be eaten, but for those with a weak stomach, it's best to soak the beans for at least 8 hours before cooking.
2. Vegetables: Eat less bitter-tasting ones. Bitter vegetables, such as bitter melon, lettuce, and endive, are mostly considered "cold" in nature and should be eaten less by people with a "cold spleen and stomach." It should be noted that vegetables are rich in unsoftened fiber, and some also contain a certain amount of anti-nutrients, such as oxalic acid, which can irritate the stomach. Therefore, people with a weak stomach should avoid eating raw vegetables.
3. Fruits: Eat less acidic ones. Some acidic fruits, such as lemons, bayberries, hawthorns, grapes, and plums, can easily cause acid reflux in people with chronic gastritis and can also irritate patients with stomach ulcers, so it's best to eat them sparingly or not at all. In addition, people with a weak spleen and stomach should avoid eating "cold" fruits like pears and pomelos.
What should people with stomach problems not eat
4. Meats: Avoid fatty meats. High-fat meats can stimulate the digestive tract to contract, potentially slowing stomach emptying and worsening constipation, or they can accelerate intestinal motility, leading to aggravated diarrhea. Fried meats are also not good for intestinal health.
5. Seasonings: Control the amount of chili. Chili should be used sparingly; excessive consumption can damage the sensitivity of nerve endings and, over time, harm the gastrointestinal mucosa. It can also cause a burning sensation in the stomach and lead to problems like gastroesophageal reflux. Some people consider garlic a gastrointestinal bactericide or a cancer-preventing food, but raw garlic can irritate the gastric mucosa and induce gastritis.
6. Beverages: Don't drink cold or "chilling" beverages. People with a weak stomach should drink fewer "cold" beverages like Kuding tea, as this can worsen the symptoms of a "cold spleen and stomach." Excessive consumption of cold drinks can lower the temperature in the stomach, affecting gastric acid secretion and the function of digestive enzymes.
7. Snacks: Eat less chocolate and mint candies. Chocolate contains a large amount of theobromine, which, like mint, can cause the lower esophageal sphincter to relax, leading to stomach acid flowing back into the esophagus and affecting stomach health. Mint is harmful to the stomach, so one should not only eat less mint but also consume fewer foods containing mint, such as drinking less mint tea and chewing fewer mint candies or mint gum.
At the same time, people with stomach problems should avoid alcohol and tobacco. Alcohol can damage the gastric mucosa, causing inflammation. Excessive drinking can lead to congestion, edema, and erosion of the gastric mucosa, and in severe cases, can cause gastrointestinal bleeding, liver cancer, stomach cancer, and esophageal cancer. Nicotine in tobacco can stimulate and damage the gastric mucosa. Smoking is closely linked to the development of lung cancer and stomach cancer.
For those with stomach problems, three types of fruits should be eaten less
1. Hawthorn, while an appetizer, can easily lead to stones. Because hawthorn is high in pectin and tannic acid, it can easily form insoluble precipitates when it comes into contact with stomach acid. These can combine with food residue to form stomach stones, which can cause gastric ulcers, gastric bleeding, and even gastric wall necrosis and perforation. However, cooking hawthorn can reduce the effects of tannic acid.
2. Fresh jujubes are tasty but their skins can irritate the stomach. Fresh jujubes should not be eaten in large quantities, as they can harm the digestive tract. This is because jujubes are high in dietary fiber, and a large intake at once can irritate the stomach, causing discomfort. Most of the dietary fiber is in the jujube skin, which is thin and hard. If the gastric mucosa is inflamed or has an ulcer, it can worsen the pain and discomfort.
3. Kiwi fruit aids bowel movements but can cause "heartburn." In Traditional Chinese Medicine, kiwi is considered "cold" in nature, and overconsumption can damage the spleen and stomach's "yang energy," leading to symptoms like abdominal pain and diarrhea. Additionally, the large amount of vitamin C and pectin in kiwi can increase stomach acid,加重 the burden on the stomach, and cause symptoms like abdominal pain, acid reflux, and heartburn, which can worsen in cold weather.
Eight Principles for a Diet for Stomach Problems
1. Eat less and choose refined foods: Each meal should be small, about 70-80% full, and avoid overeating. The variety and cooking of food should be fine and easy to digest. Coarse, high-fiber foods are difficult to digest and may irritate the gastric mucosa, causing stomach pain and bloating.
2. Eat warm and clean food: Food should be served warm and not cold or iced. Even in cold weather, avoid overly hot food. Ingredients must be washed thoroughly, and attention should be paid to cleanliness and hygiene during cooking.
3. Eat fresh and light food: Food must be fresh; do not eat expired or long-preserved food. Cooking should be light; avoid greasy, heavily seasoned, and spicy or irritating foods.
4. Eat soft food and eat slowly: Choose foods that are easy to digest. When cooking, steam or cook them thoroughly until they are soft and easy to digest. Eat less baked, grilled, or hard foods to avoid adverse stimulation of the gastric mucosa and to reduce the burden on the digestive system. Eat slowly and chew your food well to aid digestion; do not gulp down your food.
What should people with stomach problems eat to nourish their stomach?
1. Fruit recommendation: Papaya. Papaya contains the enzyme papain, which helps break down protein and starch. This is especially high in green papaya and is beneficial for preventing gastric ulcers, gastroenteritis, and indigestion. Therefore, eating more papaya can improve chronic indigestion and is greatly beneficial to the digestive system. However, papaya is considered "cold" in nature, so people with a "cold stomach" or weak constitution should not eat too much.
2. Vegetable recommendation: Cabbage. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, cabbage is believed to enter the spleen and stomach meridians, with the functions of strengthening the spleen and nourishing the stomach, promoting qi circulation, and relieving pain. Modern research has found that the B vitamins and vitamin U it contains can not only help prevent gastric ulcers and protect and repair gastric mucosal tissue but also keep stomach cells active and reduce the chance of disease, making it particularly beneficial for relieving early-stage pain from gastric and duodenal ulcers.
3. Starchy vegetable recommendation: Sweet potatoes and taro. Sweet potatoes have the effect of nourishing and warming the stomach and are also known as the "king of cancer prevention." The dietary fiber they are rich in can aid digestion, increase appetite, and resolve food stagnation. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, taro is said to stimulate the appetite, promote fluid production, reduce inflammation and relieve pain, and tonify qi and benefit the kidneys. It can be used to treat stomach pain, dysentery, and chronic nephritis.
4. Grain recommendation: Millet. Traditional Chinese Medicine considers millet to be sweet and salty in nature and "cool" in its properties, with the function of tonifying deficiency and strengthening the spleen and stomach. The *Compendium of Materia Medica* states that millet "treats vomiting and hot dysentery. When eaten as a congee, it benefits the dantian, tonifies deficiency, and opens the stomach and intestines."
5. Staple food recommendation: Toasted mantou (steamed bun). After being toasted at high temperatures, the starch in mantou transforms into a state that is very easy to digest and absorb. In other words, it reduces the burden on the stomach.