Foods that prevent ulcers

Before you reach for a glass of milk to soothe your ulcer pain, know this: Much of what we knew about ulcers has been proven wrong. Most ulcers aren’t caused directly by stress or spicy foods, but by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori.

Good news is that easy treatments are available to remediate ulcers. Find out foods that can heal ulcers naturally. Incorporating them into your diet could help prevent them from occurring in the first place. As compiled from livestrong.com, Good Housekeeping magazine and Reader’s Digest, here are the ulcer-preventing foods you need to stock in your pantry.



Honey: Because honey fights bacteria, hospitals and clinics sometimes apply it to burns and other open wounds. For the same reason that it can help heal a skin ulcer, honey may help thwart H pylori. Researchers from New Zealand tested natural honey on bacteria from gastric ulcers and found that the honey inhibited bacterial growth. Other researchers have been successful in using honey to in fact halt the growth of H pylori. Start by taking a tablespoon of raw unprocessed honey in the morning and at night to calm a burning belly. Spread it on toast or a biscuit to keep it in the stomach longer. Since H pylori grow slowly, be sure to keep up your honey regimen until ulcer symptoms are gone.



Cauliflower: This cruciferous veggie star contains sulforaphane, a compound that appears to smother H. pylori. In a study conducted by Mayo Clinic, NY, after patients who tested positive for the bacteria ate a half cup of phool gobi twice daily for seven days, 78 per cent tested negative for the bacteria. Other studies have shown that sulforaphane extracts can successfully destroy the bacteria in digestive tracts. Consider eating a cup a day of cauliflower, either steamed or in a desi sabzi style. Not only will it begin to battle your ulcer, but it will also provide more than a day’s worth of vitamin C and a generous amount of fibre, two more allies in the fight against ulcers. If cauliflower isn’t pleasing for your palate, broccoli should be your go to veggie.



Cabbage: The ulcer-healing factor of cabbage (S-methylmethionine) is often also referred to as “vitamin U”. Ulcers are caused by an imbalance of the stomach pH and the vitamin U helps in alkalising the body. Scientists believe that it is also the amino acid glutamine present in the veggie that gives cabbage its anti-ulcer punch. Glutamine helps to strengthen the mucosal lining of the gut and to improve blood flow to the stomach, meaning it not only helps prevent ulcers but can also speed the healing of existing sores. Aim for at least two cups of raw cabbage daily. Add it to salads, coleslaw, and sandwiches. You can also drink raw cabbage juice, sold in health food stores. Drink a quart a day for three weeks if you can stand it.



Yogurt with active cultures: Foods such as natural yogurt and fermented milk contain probiotics or ‘good’ bacteria that can restrain H pylori and may help ulcers heal faster. In one study conducted by Swedish researchers, people who ate natural fermented milk products like yogurt at least three times a week were much less likely to have ulcers than people who ate yogurt less often. Aim for a cup of yogurt, or another fermented milk product with live, active cultures at least once a day. Avoid sweetened varieties of packages yogurts, which are less effective. Good thing, being in Pakistan, we have access to a dahi shops that provide natural unpackaged yogurt that is chock-full of tummy-healing probiotics.



Pears: Pears are especially helpful in relieving the symptoms of ulcers and can even protect against Helicobacter pylori. The wonder fruit contains flavonoids and antioxidants that inhibit the growth of the bacteria. Besides keeping you regular, the fibre in pears plays a role in keeping ulcers at bay, especially those in the duodenum. In the Physicians Health Study from Harvard, researchers looked at the diets of 47,806 men and found that those who ate a pear a day had a 32 per cent lower risk of developing duodenal ulcers. The soluble fibre in the fruit forms a slippery slime in the stomach that acts as a barrier between the stomach lining and corrosive stomach acids.

Compiled By: Umnia Shahid

Published in The Express Tribune, February 6^th, 2015.

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