What should you eat for a stomach ulcer? During treatment, paying attention to a reasonable daily diet can help symptoms heal faster. Today, we'll summarize dietary guidelines for stomach ulcers to help you better manage your diet during treatment. Let's take a look.
Nutritional Considerations for Gastric Ulcers
For ulcers caused by spleen-stomach heat accumulation, consume foods that clear heat, reduce fire, cool the blood, and promote bowel movement.
For heart fire ascending, eat foods that clear heart fire, cool the blood, and promote urination.
For ulcers related to liver qi stagnation and emotional factors, consume foods that soothe the liver, regulate qi, and harmonize the Chong and Ren meridians.
For yin deficiency with excessive fire, consume foods that nourish yin and reduce fire.
When caused by spleen deficiency with dampness retention, dietary therapy should emphasize foods that tonify qi, strengthen the spleen, and disperse dampness through aromatic properties.
For spleen-kidney yang deficiency, treatment should focus on warming and tonifying the spleen and kidneys while dispersing cold and transforming dampness.
What foods are beneficial for gastric ulcers?
Pumpkin: The Compendium of Materia Medica records that "pumpkin is warm in nature, sweet in taste, and enters the spleen and stomach meridians." It can tonify the middle energizer, boost qi, reduce inflammation, kill bacteria, and relieve pain. Its rich pectin content protects the stomach from irritation and reduces ulcers. Pumpkin porridge or soup nourishes the stomach and intestines.
Cabbage: Cabbage is neutral in nature, sweet in taste, non-toxic, and enters the stomach and kidney meridians. Recognized by the World Health Organization as one of the best vegetables, it is also hailed as a natural "stomach vegetable." Its nutrients not only combat gastric ulcers and protect/repair the gastric mucosa but also maintain active gastric cells, reducing the risk of lesions.Individuals with gastric or duodenal ulcers may drink daily cabbage juice, optionally mixed with honey, to promote ulcer healing.
Sweet Potato: The Compendium of Materia Medica records: "Sweet potatoes tonify the middle burner, warm the stomach, and nourish the five viscera." Consumed during cold weather, they fortify vital energy, nourish the stomach, aid digestion, eliminate food stagnation, and simultaneously cleanse the intestines and promote weight loss.However, sweet potatoes contain high starch levels that convert to glucose after consumption, making them unsuitable for diabetics.
Honey: Honey benefits the stomach by tonifying the spleen and stomach, moistening the intestines and lungs, and detoxifying. Its nutrients—including glucose, fructose, organic acids, yeast, vitamins, and trace elements—protect gastric mucosal ulcers.
Lotus root: Rich in starch, it promotes gastrointestinal motility, accelerates the healing of gastric ulcers, and has hangover-relieving properties.
Eggs: Egg yolks contain abundant lecithin and cephalin, which provide strong protective effects for the gastric mucosa.
Jujubes: Jujubes strengthen the spleen and stomach. Regular consumption of jujubes or porridge made with jujubes and glutinous rice can help prevent and treat gastric ulcers.