Which Foods Are the Easiest to Digest? Food for GERD, Gastritis

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Here are the top easy-to-digest foods to avoid gastrointestinal issues and discomfort, which include applesauce, crackers, and white rice.

If you have gastrointestinal issues, such as gastritis, irritable bowel syndrome, or malabsorption syndrome, it's critical to eat foods that are easy to digest to avoid discomfort and help settle your digestive tract.

The best easy-to-digest foods include the following:

• Low-fiber grains:
  • Carbohydrate-containing foods are among the easiest to digest. However, grains with more than two grams of fiber per serving should be avoided.
  • High fiber content can contribute to digestive system issues. 
  • You can safely consume white rice and wheat.
• Lean protein:
  • Protein is another type of food that is easily digested. Choose low-fat protein foods for better digestion, such as:
    • eggs
    • fish such as salmon, halibut, and mackerel
    • chicken and lean cuts of beef
• Fruit and fruit juice:
  • Although most fruits cause no problems, citrus fruits and fruit juices can often cause heartburn.
  • Some fruit juices contain sorbitol, a type of sugar that can cause diarrhea.
  • Limit yourself to half- to one-cup servings of fruit juice per day to obtain the health benefits and lower digestive system issues.
• Well-cooked green leafy vegetables:
  • Raw vegetables are more difficult to digest than well-cooked vegetables. Instead, make sure to eat two or more half-cup cooked vegetable servings per day.
  • You can sauté spinach and lettuce and have them with meals.
• Fermented foods:
  • Fermented foods are excellent for digestion because they contain probiotics that introduce beneficial bacteria into the gut and help fortify the intestinal lining. 
  • Fermented foods can include yogurt, curd, and kefir, and lower-lactose dairy products.

60 examples of easy-to-digest foods

1. Whole grains
2. Bagels
3. White bread
4. Cornmeal
5. White flour
6. White rice
7. Cranberry
8. Cran-raspberry
9. Fruit nectars
10. Bananas
11. Asparagus tips
12. Beets
13. Carrots
14. Green beans
15. Lettuce
16. Mushrooms
17. Pumpkin
18. Toast (made of white bread) with butter
19. Saltine and plain crackers
20. Eggs
21. Oatmeal
22. Applesauce
23. Jelly-O
24. Soups and stews
25. Bone broth
26. Nuts
27. Avocado
28. Cooked or canned fruits
29. Sweet potatoes
30. Boiled potatoes
31. Kimchi
32. Ginger
33. Boiled chicken
34. Oyster
35. Soybean
36. Watermelon
37. Soft cheese
38. Pulses
39. Turnips
40. Turmeric
41. Chia seeds
42. Pineapple
43. Mint
44. Mushrooms
45. Coconut oil
46. Fennel seeds
47. Pickles and fermented vegetables
48. Dairy-free yogurt
49. Miso
50. Kombucha
51. Sauerkraut
52. Tempeh
53. Water kefir
54. Crab and imitation crab
55. Lean cuts of fish
56. Skinless poultry or ham
57. Canned tuna
58. Turkey
59. Salmon
60. Low-fat hot dogs

What is gastritis?

Gastritis is a condition in which the stomach lining becomes red and swollen due to various factors. The stomach lining produces acid and enzymes that aid in the breakdown of food into nutrients. By secreting mucus, the lining protects itself from acid damage.

• In gastritis, a common condition with numerous causes, the lining becomes inflamed and produces less acid, enzymes, and mucus.
• Gastritis is usually not serious in most people and improves quickly if treated. However, if left untreated, it can last for years.
• People with gastritis frequently complain of severe, excruciating, and intense stomach pain, which is often described as burning or nagging.
• People may experience an uneasy feeling in their upper stomach since gastritis pain is typically felt in the mid-upper abdomen, just below the breastbone and above the navel.

Aside from pain and discomfort, people report the following symptoms:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Stomach bloating
• Indigestion
• Constipation
• Burning or gnawing feeling in the stomach between meals or at night
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting blood or coffee ground-like material
• Black, tarry stools
• Severe hiccups

People with severe gastritis may experience chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness, or an inability to tolerate any foods or liquids by mouth, in addition to a high-grade fever. Severe gastritis necessitates prompt medical attention.

What is gastroesophageal reflux disorder?

The lower esophageal sphincter is a muscle that regulates the passage of food from the esophagus to the stomach. This muscle does not always close completely, allowing acid from the stomach to flow back into the esophagus. This abnormal condition is known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or acid reflux.

Symptoms of GERD may include:

• Heartburn (pain in the upper abdomen and chest that sometimes feels like having a heart attack, which is the most common symptom of GERD)
• Sore throat
• Hoarseness of voice
• Bad taste in the mouth

When these symptoms become recurrent and severe, they are referred to as GERD, which can be caused by one of three conditions:

1. Poor clearance of food or acid from the esophagus
2. Too much acid in the stomach
3. Delayed stomach emptying

Foods that are easier to digest can help manage various medical conditions, such as:

• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• GERD
• Gastroenteritis
• Gastritis
• Bowel-related disorders
• Diverticulitis