What can I actually eat with an ulcer?
I think I have an ulcer. My doctor thinks I have an ulcer. The doctors at the ER think I have an ulcer. Cool. So I’ve been stuck in bed with stomach pains a ton lately and struggling to figure out what to eat while I wait to get a GI appointment. Thanksgiving weekend has caused a huge delay in getting the medical attention I need for this.
I can’t really stand to cook much — frankly I can barely get downstairs to use the kitchen. So I’ve been relying on the people in my life and meal delivery services to get by. But like… I don’t know what to ask for because it all hurts.
So I went searching, as one does. Pinterest was useless for general lists for ulcers because it just gives ALL of the diets at once. So then I turned to medical listicles on Google. Why are all the lists specifically just ingredients and not meals?? Maybe I’m bad at searching (honestly that’s probably it). Also, these lists contradict each other wildly and there’s lots of “maybe, could be, possibly, etc.” language. So you gotta take the advice with a grain of salt (or not, if salt gives you an ulcer flare up).
One of the most useful pieces of advice I found came from a post that I found generally terrible but it had one gold nugget. Whatever you end up eating, Optum Perks recommends keeping it to small meals because large ones cause heartburn flareups.
Other than that it was just very surface-level lists that really stopped being helpful when you read too many of them. So I kept it to just 3, Optum Perks that I already linked, WebMD, and Very Well Health.
What I gleaned from them is that I should avoid:
- Milk
- Alcohol
- Fatty foods
- Spicy foods (it depends)
- Acidic foods (it depends)
- Chocolate (it depends)
- Coffee
- Fried foods
- Salty foods
Some better things to eat:
- Foods With Probiotics
- Fiber-Rich Foods
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Leafy greens
- Plant based oils
- Honey
- Garlic
- Eggs
- Avocados
- Legumes
- Grains
- Lean meats
- Fish/seafood
- Nuts
- Tofu/tempeh
- Berries
- Ginger
- Turmeric
- Cruciferous veggies
This includes things like broccoli, cauliflower, kale, bok choy, arugula, brussels sprouts, collard greens, watercress, and radishes
So now what?
That’s just another list of ingredients. It’s honestly pretty overwhelming too because how do I go about researching actual meals that contain the *right* things and not the *wrong* things?
Honestly, your guess is as good as mine. I’ve been really struggling to figure it out myself but one thing I’ve found is that the lists should be treated as loose guidelines and you should always just do what actually feels good for you rather than try to stick to a strict list.
I’ve been trying a bunch of stuff to see what leaves me feeling ok vs makes things worse. Note: Nothing you eat will actually *heal* an ulcer — That requires medical attention. We’re just looking for what will hurt the least to eat.
Foods that worked for me:
Toaster waffles with peanut butter
I have had these for breakfast every day since I started feeling icky. I actually eat this pretty often already honestly. I’ve always found that the peanut butter to bread ratio is perfect when it’s on a waffle. It’s a good source of protein while being somewhat simple to prepare.
Almond milk
Seriously, just a glass of almond milk has helped settle my angry stomach so many times. I prefer unsweetened original myself so I can’t speak for how sweetened or flavored versions will affect an ulcer.
Sushi
I mean yeah, you gotta be picky about which kind of sushi you get, but many kinds are perfectly suited to this list
Chicken and rice
You actually have a lot of flexibility with this one! Don’t forget seasonings are not off limits! Just don’t make it spicy and keep cheese to a minimum. This combo is also easy to combine with any of the veggies on the list.
Brussels with bacon
Look, I *know* the list said no greasy foods, stick to lean meats, bla bla bla. *But* this dish can be made with minimal grease and just enough bacon for flavor. Or you can swap it out for turkey bacon. Some grocery stores sell brussels sprouts already shaved. So a little onion sauteed with them makes this a flavorful dish that requires *zero* chopping!
Asian-style noodles
This covers a wide range of things! Ramen, soba, pho, and more! Flavorful, easy to get veggies, protein etc., lots of simple recipes (or elaborate if that’s what you’re feeling) — they are a super flexible way to get a soothing and nutritious meal.
Is that it?
I keep to a lot of the same foods ok? Don’t judge me. I promise I’ll add more ideas to this list as I find them
