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.

When H. pylori causes the immune system to release inflammatory cells, or NSAIDs erode the stomach’s protective mucosal lining, an open sore (aka an ulcer) is formed. “Once the protective wall erodes away, a pit forms, and that’s where an ulcer is,” says Matthew Hoscheit, MD, a gastroenterologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

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.

The most common digestive ulcers are stomach ulcers and duodenal ulcers, which are in the small intestine. These are known as peptic ulcers – named for pepsin, a digestive fluid made in the stomach.

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.

He often tells his patients to try a bland diet, which consists of easily broken-down foods that are gentle on the digestive tract. This diet often includes foods that are:

• Easy on the gastrointestinal (GI) tract (no rough textures like tortilla chips, for example)

• Lean, in the case of proteins

• Less likely to cause gas, in terms of vegetables

“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

“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.”

Additionally, when you have an ulcer, you should review your current medications with your doctor to see whether any of them may be digestive irritants, says Hoscheit. He also cautions his patients with ulcers to be wary of taking iron supplements, which have been linked to inflammation in the stomach lining when taken in high doses.

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

The Takeaway

• The most common type of ulcers are peptic ulcers, which are found in the stomach and small intestine. They’re most often caused by a bacterial infection or repeated use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen.

• Certain foods are likely to worsen symptoms, such as spicy foods, acidic foods, and alcohol, so it’s a good idea to avoid them, though the foods that cause ulcer irritation will vary from person to person.

• That said, following a bland diet in the short term is generally helpful.

EDITORIAL SOURCES

Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.

Resources

1. Katella K. 8 Things to Know About Peptic Ulcers. Yale Medicine. August 30, 2024.

2. Weir SBS et al. Bland Diet (Archived). StatPearls. July 25, 2023.

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