Indian Food Guide for Ulcers, Gastritis & Gut Recovery
A practical guide to gentler dals, vegetables, dairy, grains and balanced Indian meals - with separate vegetarian, eggetarian and non-vegetarian options.
First, an important fact: there is no single compulsory “ulcer diet.” Food does not usually cause or cure an ulcer. The purpose of dietary changes is to reduce symptoms and maintain nutrition while the actual cause - especially H. pylori infection or NSAID painkillers - is properly treated.
Use the softer, milder choices during active burning, nausea, early fullness or bloating. As symptoms settle, gradually restore food variety instead of staying permanently on a highly restricted diet.
Practical Serving Guide
General adult portions - not a personalised calorie or medical diet plan.
Balanced plate formula: combine one carbohydrate source + one meaningful protein source + cooked vegetables. Add curd or fruit according to tolerance. Avoid making the entire meal only rice, roti or fruit.
Which Dals Can Be Eaten?
Start with softer, smaller portions and increase gradually.
Better Starting Options
- Yellow dhuli moong dal
- Green moong dal without skin
- Thin moong-dal khichdi
- Red masoor dal in a small portion
- Well-cooked arhar/toor dal
- Moong-dal soup
Introduce Later
- Chana dal and urad dal
- Whole green moong or masoor
- Kala chana and kabuli chana
- Rajma
- Black urad or dal makhani
Gentler Preparation
- Soak whole pulses for 8 - 12 hours
- Discard soaking water and rinse
- Pressure-cook until completely soft
- Start with around 100 ml cooked dal
- Use cumin, coriander, fennel or mild turmeric
- Avoid chilli and a heavy ghee tadka
Vegetables for Gut Recovery
Cooked vegetables are often easier during active symptoms; raw foods can be restored later.
Usually Gentler
- Lauki, tori, tinda and kaddu
- Ash gourd, zucchini and parwal
- Carrot, beetroot and French beans
- Well-cooked palak or methi
- Bhindi prepared with little ghee
- Potato or sweet potato
- A small amount of soft green peas
Test According to Tolerance (Always start with Little Qty)
- Cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli
- Capsicum
- Onion and garlic
- Mushrooms and corn
- Large servings of peas
- Raw cucumber and salads
Temporarily Limit (4-8 Weeks) as it can cause burning
- Tomato and heavy tomato gravies
- Raw onion
- Red and green chillies
- Pickles
- Vinegar-based foods
- Very sour chutneys
- Deep-fried vegetables
Which Dairy Products Are Suitable?
Dairy is optional and should be selected according to tolerance.
Can Be Used if Tolerated
- Fresh plain curd/dahi: 100 - 150 g
- Unsweetened Greek yogurt or hung curd
- Low-fat paneer: 75 - 100 g
- Toned or low-fat milk: 200 - 250 ml
- Plain chaas without chilli or masala
- Ghee: approximately ½ - 1 teaspoon
Can increase symptoms, so avoid Week 4-8 and start gradually later!
- Very sour curd
- Full-fat milk if it causes heaviness
- Cream and large quantities of butter or ghee
- Processed cheese
- Sweet lassi and flavoured yogurt
- Ice cream and heavy milkshakes
Grains, Carbohydrates & Fruits
Use easy-to-eat options when appetite is poor, then increase variety and fibre gradually.
Suitable Carbohydrates
- Soft-cooked white rice or khichdi
- Oats and daliya
- Poha and suji/upma
- Idli or appam
- Soft phulka/roti
- Plain bread or toast
- Boiled potato or sweet potato
Gentler Fruit Choices
- Ripe banana and papaya
- Muskmelon or watermelon
- Ripe pear
- Stewed or peeled apple
- Chikoo in a small quantity
- Ripe mango in a small portion
- Pomegranate if it does not cause acidity
Limit. As/If They Cause Burning
- Orange and mosambi
- Lemon water
- Pineapple and raw mango
- Amla and grapefruit
- Very sour berries
- Packaged fruit juices
Vegetarian Balanced Meals
Quantities are for one average adult meal and can be adjusted for appetite and energy needs.
🌤️ Breakfast Options
Paneer Moong Chilla
2 chillas from 60 g soaked yellow moong + 75 g paneer filling + 50 - 100 g grated lauki/carrot + 1 tsp ghee.
Tofu Vegetable Poha
60 g dry poha + 120 g tofu + 100 g carrot/beans + 1 tsp ghee.
Paneer Oats Bowl
50 g oats + 75 - 100 g paneer + 100 g lauki/carrot/spinach + 1 tsp ghee.
Idli with Mild Moong Sambar
3 small idlis + 200 ml thin moong dal with soft vegetables. Omit chilli and tamarind during burning.
Daliya Milk Bowl
50 g dry daliya + 250 ml milk + ½ - 1 small banana. Add 50 g paneer separately when more protein is required.
🌙 Lunch & Dinner Options
Balanced Moong Khichdi
50 g raw rice + 35 - 40 g raw moong dal + 150 g lauki/carrot/spinach + 1 tsp ghee. Serve with 100 g curd.
Rice - Dal - Lauki Plate
150 - 180 g cooked rice + 180 - 200 ml moong/toor dal + 150 g lauki sabzi + 100 g curd.
Mild Palak Paneer Rice
100 g paneer + 150 g cooked palak + 150 g cooked rice. Prepare without chilli, cream or heavy tomato gravy.
Tofu Roti Plate
150 g tofu with lauki/carrot/beans + 2 small soft rotis + 100 g curd.
Vegetable Daliya with Paneer
60 g dry daliya + 100 g paneer + 150 g soft vegetables + 1 - 2 tsp ghee.
Pumpkin - Masoor Meal
150 - 180 g cooked rice or 2 rotis + 150 ml thin masoor dal + 150 g pumpkin + 100 g curd.
Eggetarian Balanced Meals
Egg yolks are not automatically prohibited. If fat worsens nausea or fullness, use 1 whole egg + 2 whites.
Soft Bread Omelette
2 eggs - or 1 whole egg + 2 whites - plus 2 toast slices, 75 - 100 g cooked spinach/carrot and 1 small banana.
Egg Poha
60 g dry poha + 2 eggs + 100 g carrot/beans/spinach + 1 tsp ghee.
Oats Egg Pancake
50 g ground oats + 2 eggs + grated lauki/carrot. Cook as 2 soft pancakes using 1 tsp ghee.
Egg Rice Bowl
150 - 180 g cooked rice + 2 eggs + 150 g lauki/pumpkin/beans + 100 g curd.
Egg Moong Khichdi
45 g raw rice + 30 g raw moong dal + 2 eggs + 150 g soft vegetables + 1 tsp ghee.
Mild Egg Curry
2 eggs in a lauki, spinach or yogurt-based gravy + 2 small rotis or 150 g cooked rice. Avoid chilli and heavy tomato masala.
Non-Vegetarian Balanced Meals
Prefer steamed, boiled, pressure-cooked, lightly grilled or stewed protein.
Chicken Poha
60 g dry poha + 80 - 100 g cooked shredded chicken + 100 g soft vegetables + 1 tsp ghee.
Chicken - Rice - Lauki Bowl
100 - 120 g cooked skinless chicken + 150 - 180 g cooked rice + 150 g lauki + 100 g curd.
Chicken Moong Khichdi
45 g raw rice + 30 g moong dal + 100 g boneless chicken + 150 g carrot/lauki + 1 tsp ghee.
Soft Chicken Daliya
60 g dry daliya + 100 - 120 g chicken + 150 g vegetables, pressure-cooked into a soft stew.
Fish and Rice Plate
120 g steamed or gently pan-cooked fish + 150 - 180 g cooked rice + 150 g pumpkin/spinach/beans.
Chicken Roti Plate
120 g mild chicken stew + 2 small rotis + 150 g cooked vegetables.
Mild Fish Curry
120 g fish in a light coconut, lauki or spinach gravy + 150 g cooked rice. Avoid chilli, tamarind and heavy tomato gravy during burning.
Prefer: lean chicken and fish. Temporarily limit fried fish, fatty mutton, processed meats, sausages, salami and rich butter-based curries.
Foods Commonly Limited During Active Symptoms
These do not trouble every person, but often aggravate burning, reflux, bloating or fullness.
🌶️ Food & Drink Triggers
- Alcohol
- Red and green chillies
- Heavy garam masala
- Pickles and spicy chutneys
- Strong tea, coffee and energy drinks
- Cola and carbonated drinks
- Tomato, citrus and vinegar if symptomatic
- Chocolate and peppermint when reflux is present
🍟 Preparation & Habits
- Deep-fried foods such as pakora, samosa, puri and bhatura
- Excessive ghee, butter, cream or other high-fat meals
- Very large meals
- Eating shortly before lying down
- Smoking
Eating Pattern During Recovery
The long-term goal is comfortable, adequate and varied nutrition.
During Active Symptoms
- Eat slowly and chew food properly
- Use 4 - 5 smaller meals if appetite is low
- Choose soft, well-cooked foods
- Avoid forcing a very large meal
- Do not consume excessive fluid with a meal
As Symptoms Improve
- Increase dal, vegetables and fibre gradually
- Introduce one previously troublesome food at a time
- Use a food-and-symptom diary
- Restore raw foods according to tolerance
- Do not permanently remove major food groups without a clear reason
The Important Point - That Diet Cannot Replace
Symptom-friendly food supports recovery, but it does not replace diagnosis and treatment.
🩺 Treat the Cause, Not Only the Symptoms
The most common causes of peptic ulcers are H. pylori infection and NSAID painkillers such as ibuprofen, diclofenac and naproxen - not ordinary Indian food. If H. pylori is detected, it requires medical eradication treatment such as antibiotic and a subsequent test of cure. Food and Supplement combination can help in Recovery & Eradication only when proper protocol is designed & followed for recovery.
📚 Scientific & Clinical Sources
- NIDDK: Eating, Diet & Nutrition for Peptic Ulcers
- NIDDK: Eating, Diet & Nutrition for Gastritis and Gastropathy
- ICMR - National Institute of Nutrition: Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024
- American College of Gastroenterology: 2024 H. pylori Guideline Highlights
- NHS: Gastritis Guidance
- NIDDK: Peptic Ulcer Symptoms, Causes and Warning Signs