No, bread is not bad for gastritis as it is made from whole-grain cereals that are rich in fiber and great for gastrointestinal health. However, if you have certain allergies like a corn allergy or gluten intolerance, some types of bread should be avoided.
Unlike most commercially produced bread that uses refined flour, knowing the types of bread and foods that promote great gastrointestinal health is crucial. This is helpful if you suffer from gastritis.
This article examines the possible health impact of bread on gastritis and lets you know if it is bad for your health.
What is Gastritis?
Gastritis refers to a set of medical conditions that cause inflammation of your stomach lining. Causes of gastritis can include the regular use of pain medications, excess drinking of alcohol, infections, or injury.
What are the symptoms of Gastritis?
In addition to nausea, vomiting, and pain in the upper part of the stomach (abdomen), other symptoms of gastritis include indigestion, heartburn, and appetite loss. However, other patients have been found to exhibit no symptoms at all.
What are the Nutritional Benefits of Bread?
Bread contains numerous nutrients, some of which include protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and micronutrients. Whole-grain bread also contains manganese, selenium, iron, thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin.
However, these nutrients are higher in whole-grain bread than the regular white bread or bread made with refined grains.
Bread is Bad for Gastritis Under What Conditions?
Bread is not advisable for patients with diabetes, gluten sensitivity, or allergies. Also, you may need to impose increased dietary restrictions as a result of some other health conditions in addition to having gastritis.
Before eating bread, you should be aware of a few conditions that might affect your health alongside your gastritis condition;
Allergies
Those who have an allergy to corn should avoid eating bread made with cornmeal or corn to prevent adverse reactions. You can choose from a wide variety of bread that make use of flours or ingredients you are not allergic to like rice, sorghum, potato, etc.
SEE: The Updated Bojangles Allergen Menu
Gluten Intolerance or Sensitivity
Sensitivity and intolerance to gluten or suffering from celiac disease can hinder you from eating commercially baked bread as they contain gluten-based flour (wheat, barley, or rye).
Consult your health care professional for suitable alternatives or only consume bread that does not make use of wheat, rye, or barley as baking flour.
SEE: Gluten-Free Dairy Queen Meals You Can Enjoy With Your Family
Several Medical Conditions
Do you suffer from or manage multiple health conditions, like diabetes and wheat allergies, that limit what you can eat? See if there are any other bread alternatives that suit your medical conditions and meet your nutritional needs by consulting your doctor or nutritionist.
High Blood Sugar or Diabetes
Avoid bread or baked goods if possible as they possess a considerable amount of sugar in them that can spike your blood sugar. Also, avoid consuming beverages with high amounts of sugar like soda and orange juice.
However, you can consult your healthcare provider on a dietary plan and which type of bread you can safely include in your diet.
SEE: If Diabetics Can Eat Cornbread
Why is Bread Good for People with Gastritis?
Bread is great for people with gastritis because of its fiber content which is a result of the whole grains present in it. The fiber in bread promotes gastrointestinal health and cardiovascular health.
However, avoid eating your bread with spicy foods like red pepper, chili pepper, black pepper, etc., as they are bad for gastrointestinal health.
What Types of Bread Are Good For Gastritis?
The following types of bread help promote gastrointestinal health;
Sprouted Whole Grain Bread
Sprouted bread refers to using sprouted seeds that have just sprouted and are in their early stages of growth to bake bread.
This type of bread contains higher levels of antioxidants than its non-sprouted counterparts. Additionally, the bioavailability in their nutrition tends to be greater and easily absorbed by the body.
That also means that it provides other health benefits that go beyond the basic nutrients you see in most bread. You can get commercially made sprouted bread at supermarkets if you consider baking them a hassle.
However, be sure to confirm if you’re purchasing the right bread by checking the label. Also, check the ingredient to see if it says “sprouted whole grain flour” or “sprouted whole wheat flour”.
100% Whole Grain Bread
If you suffer from gastritis, then 100% whole-grain bread remains one of the most healthy choices for you.
Instead of offering just whole wheat, whole grain loaves provide a wider range of nutrients. That is because it may contain other whole grains which possess their own benefits.
Also, similar to whole wheat bread, whole-grain bread may consist of whole corn flour, whole brown rice flour, and whole millet flour.
Note that multigrain bread or seven-grain bread inscribed on some bread labels does not necessarily mean the bread is whole grain.
Oatmeal Whole Grain Bread
Whole grain oatmeal bread in addition to oats and fiber contains unsaturated fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins that are great for gastritis.
Furthermore, oats help control blood sugar levels and reduce cholesterol. They also reduce the chances of inflammation in your arteries, cancer, and heart diseases which affect blood vessels in the heart.
However, note that whole-grain oatmeal bread will most likely contain whole wheat flour and should be avoided if you’re sensitive to gluten.
SEE: Oats vs Oatmeal And Differences You Should Know About
Whole Grain Wheat Bread
This kind of bread is suitable if you have gastritis as it contains numerous healthy nutrients alongside fiber. These nutrients include selenium, B vitamins, iron, and magnesium.
However, note that because it has “wheat bread” inscribed on its label does not make it a whole grain wheat bread. Also, note that while wheat bread may contain some whole wheat flour, its base ingredient is white flour.
Always confirm that the loaf you’re purchasing says “100% whole wheat bread” on its label or ingredient information.
SEE: If Honey Wheat Bread Good Is for You
FAQs
What bread-themed foods can you eat if you have gastritis?
Other bread meals you can eat if you have gastritis include; guacamole toast, naturally sweetened whole grain pumpkin bread, pumpkin banana bread, banana bread mug cake, vegetable sandwich, bread besan toast, etc.
SEE: Bread vs Cake – Differences, Uses, And Types
What Other Foods Can You Eat If You Have Gastritis?
You can eat fruits and vegetables, lean meat (poultry) with little fat content, and decaf coffee. You can also take plain yogurt, skimmed milk, and whole grains (oats, brown rice, and whole-grain pasta).
Also, you can use natural seasoning ingredients if you have gastritis. These may include ginger, basil, tarragon, sage, turmeric, oregano, and other fine herbs.
What foods are bad for gastritis?
If you have gastritis, you should avoid full-fat dairy products like heavy cream cheese, ice cream, and full-cream milk. You should also avoid red meat, nuts, and nut butter as well as other foods high in fat or sugar.
Additionally, avoid taking acidic fruits or beverages, caffeinated beverages, and alcoholic drinks like wine, cocktails, and beer.
Conclusion
Bread made with whole-grain flour like whole-grain wheat bread, whole-grain oatmeal bread, sprouted whole-grain bread, etc., has proven to be advantageous against gastritis. That is because they contain a high level of fiber with other nutrients which are superb for gastrointestinal health.
However, due to certain medical conditions like diabetes, food allergies, celiac disease, or gluten sensitivity, bread might not be that great a choice for some people living with gastritis. If you happen to fall under these categories, consult your nutritionist for suitable alternatives that you can enjoy.
Finally, if you suffer from gastritis, there are also certain types of special bread you can eat that are great for your gastrointestinal health. One notable example is the Native American bread also known as Squaw bread. Find out why the Squaw bread is a healthy option for you and simple steps on how to bake it yourself.
I hope you found this article helpful. Thanks for reading.
