Foods to Eat and Avoid if You’ve Got an Ulcer

While it was long believed that the impact of stress and eating spicy foods could cause digestive ulcers, scientists now know that Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) bacterial infections or long-term use of high-dose nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) actually cause most cases.

While they don’t cause ulcers, certain foods can irritate an ulcer if you have one. “Since the sore develops where the protective lining has eroded, it is constantly irritated by stomach acid, which can make eating feel very painful,” Dr. Hoscheit says.

Some foods may be gentler than others when you have a peptic ulcer. Here’s what to consider eating and avoiding.

What to Eat When You Have an Ulcer

Hoscheit stresses that reducing symptoms is key to dealing with ulcers, so he recommends avoiding certain medications and identifying the foods that don’t cause you problems and making sure you eat those.

• A soft consistency
• Low in fiber
• Easy on the gastrointestinal (GI) tract (no rough textures like tortilla chips, for example)
• Not very spicy
• Not acidic
• Low in fat
• Lean, in the case of proteins
• Less likely to cause gas, in terms of vegetables
• Alcohol-free

“I often recommend my patients eat soft or moist textures to help manage symptoms,” says Suzie Finkel, RD, a GI dietitian at New York Gastroenterology Associates in New York City.

Finkel recommends the following foods:

• Cooked and peeled vegetables
• Ripe fruits
• Soft starches
• Smoothies
• Soups

“If someone is having symptoms, I recommend small but frequent meals, for example every three to four hours,” she says.

Finkel says that it’s key to stick to a consistent meal schedule for two reasons: “An empty stomach is an acidic stomach [because there is no food to absorb it],” she says. “And proton pump inhibitors, which are often prescribed to treat peptic ulcers, work best when taken 30 minutes before a meal.”

What to Avoid When You Have an Ulcer

While there are no foods proven to harm or cause an ulcer, certain foods may irritate the stomach lining and aggravate the ulcer. “This includes very spicy foods, acidic foods, and alcohol. People with active ulcers may want to limit these foods if they cause symptoms,” says Finkel. “And when you’re eating out, the kitchen should be able to accommodate your specific needs.”

“Also, it’s important to stop smoking when you have an ulcer since it’s detrimental to health and prevents [tissue] healing,” he says.