Chocolate for gastritis

The word "chocolate" makes many people drool like a lemon. Surely the vast majority of people like this treat and eat it without thinking much about its benefits, harm or possible contraindications. However, in some cases, chocolate becomes a forbidden dessert. Chocolate with gastritis is from this category of products. Why?

Is it possible to have chocolate with gastritis?

One of the causes of gastritis is improper nutrition. Irregular, spicy, dry food, strong alcohol expose the stomach to tests of "strength", from which the irritated mucosa often responds "rebellion", that is, inflammation. And how does chocolate work in gastritis?

Acute gastritis develops quickly, accompanied by sharp pains, and is treated in about a week. During this period, it is even incorrect to ask whether chocolate can be eaten with gastritis. Sweetness is considered a heavy product, and even a small portion can increase pain, cause the patient to vomit and nausea, aggravate the situation in general.

• Unfortunately for dessert lovers, chocolate in gastritis outside the exacerbation is also not recommended. It causes increased production of gastric juice and further irritates the walls. This is especially dangerous with high acidity.

If gastritis is not cured, it becomes chronic. Cocoa butter and caffeine, as well as sugar, which are rich in chocolate sweets, are harmful products for inflamed digestive organs: they can cause an exacerbation of the process. This applies to all types of chocolate, including white chocolate.

The maximum that is allowed in long-term remission is a slice or two from a whole bar. It should be introduced into the menu extremely carefully, literally a little bit at a time. Chocolate candies are even worse in the sense of harm, because they contain a variety of fillings that are not perceived by the affected stomach.

Chocolate in gastritis with hyperacidity

There is no optimal choice of the type of chocolate in gastritis with hyperacidity. The main criteria for such a choice - a minimum of fat, caffeine, the absence of acids and dairy ingredients. For the recovery period, the stomach is more suitable for other sweets: marmalade, baklava, rahat-lukum, toffee, honey, jam. All in small doses.

• Chocolate in gastritis is not included in the diet.

It is a product of cocoa fruit processing, with the addition of various ingredients - raisins, nuts, wafer crumbs, dried fruits. For a sick stomach it is an unnecessary load. Caffeine and theobromine have a particularly unfavorable effect: they stimulate appetite and the release of gastric juice, which is already in excess and intensely irritates its walls.

• I would like to debunk some myths about the harm of chocolate, for example, to the teeth.

It is known that sweets serve as an excellent breeding ground for oral bacteria. And if you eat sweets before going to bed and are too lazy to brush your teeth, tooth decay is assured. However, chocolate is different, the same black chocolate is not too sweet, so the connection between black chocolate and blackened teeth - doubtful. The cause is most likely improper oral hygiene or an unbalanced diet.

In addition, a moderate dose of the treat, in the absence of contraindications, can reduce the risk of cardiac pathologies, prevent diabetes, prevent depression. Half a drop of chocolate a day increases performance and mood, stimulates mental activity, stabilizes blood pressure. Finally, the product shows its effect as a qualitative aphrodisiac.

Bitter chocolate for gastritis

Bitter chocolate is considered the most useful. The sweet product is characterized not only by useful, but also therapeutic properties. It contains a maximum of grated cocoa (50+%) and a minimum of sugar. High quality can be determined organoleptically: such a bar is beautifully shiny and smells pleasant.

The benefits of bitter chocolate are manifold and are as follows:

• to energize brain activity;
• to replenish energy reserves;
• pressure optimization;
• burning fat;
• lowering cholesterol;
• normalizing heart function;
• to strengthen bone tissue.

Chocolate belongs to aphrodisiacs. It promotes the production of the hormone of happiness, that is, it increases well-being and mood, and counteracts depression.

Unfortunately, the harm of chocolate in gastritis exceeds the benefits, so nutritionists have decisively excluded it from the gastritis diet. In the exacerbation of inflammation, not only chocolate, but also other fatty sweets are undesirable, because they cause repeated attacks of pain and vomiting.

If it is impossible to abstain and nothing in life is not happy, a little bitter chocolate in gastritis can be allowed - if there is a stable remission and the patient feels satisfactory. It should be a really minimal portion: just 1-2 pieces of a whole bar.

Milk chocolate for gastritis

The most inappropriate is considered milk chocolate in gastritis. It contains all harmful components: cocoa butter and powder, sugar, high-fat milk powder. Therefore, all its lauded properties, useful for a healthy person, come to naught in comparison with the potential or real harm of consumed chocolate in gastritis.

• Milk varieties are made with milk fat and sugar. The cocoa content in such products is up to 40%.

A healthy person is allowed to eat up to 50g of treats, in gastritis, in remission - up to 2 pieces of bars. In this case, it is important to monitor the reaction of the body: if there is belching, heartburn, nausea, it means that the stomach does not perceive this kind of sweets.

• In the stomach, milk chocolate provokes increased production of hydrochloric acid. This is how the caffeine contained in the product acts. This effect is especially dangerous in hyperacidic form of gastritis.

Fatty cocoa butter is not a diet food either. A sick stomach has difficulty digesting fats, and this leads to an exacerbation of the process.

Additives and fillers, with which manufacturers traditionally diversify chocolate products, are unacceptable for an inflamed organ. No doubt, it is very tasty, and such products look aesthetically pleasing and festive. However, the harsh reality reminds us of the harm of all these flavorings, colorings, flavor enhancers and other chemicals that can undermine the health of all those who abuse sweets.

White chocolate for gastritis

Among several varieties, white chocolate for gastritis seems to be the most harmless. After all, it does not contain the main component that makes chocolate actually chocolate, and not just one of the sweet desserts. White bars do not just lack the characteristic chocolate look: they do not contain caffeine, which makes chocolate harmful for gastritis.

• However, there are other disadvantages in the white delicacy in abundance, because of which the product is taken out of the dietary intake of patients with digestive problems. These disadvantages are high caloric content and abundance of vegetable oils.

It is not for nothing that white chocolate is the most sweet and high-calorie. But still, if it is impossible to give up chocolate once and for all, then occasionally you can allow the reception of a small portion of the white variety. On an unhealthy stomach, it acts softer than milk, especially with the addition of nuts or alcoholic ingredients. The permissible dose is up to two squares from a standard chocolate bar.

• Interestingly, the white variety of the most popular condiments appeared not so long ago: less than 100 years ago.

It does not contain grated and cocoa powder, and the characteristic flavor is given by cocoa butter. In cheap varieties, instead of natural components, manufacturers add flavoring and aromatic additives. In the absence of cocoa, there is no theobromine and caffeine, which have a tonic effect. Chocolate lovers, to whom these substances are harmful, gladly replace traditional bars with white ones. Unfortunately, this alternative is not suitable for people with gastritis.

Black chocolate for gastritis

Depending on the composition, chocolate is divided into black, white and milk chocolate. Modern manufacturers have created recipes for porous and mixed varieties, combining contrasting colors, as well as diabetic and vegan products. About all kinds of fillers and additives can be written separately, but this is not the topic of this article.

• Not all people distinguish between dark and black variants, and in the context of chocolate in gastritis it can be important. They are identified by the amount of cocoa: in dark it is up to 40%, in black - over 50%.

It is the high content of the main ingredient and somewhat less sugar that gives the characteristic bitter flavor and makes the natural product the healthiest.

Black varieties have a minimum of sugar and no milk powder, but a high percentage of cocoa and therefore caffeine. And this is a substance that the stomach does not like. Even hot chocolate is not suitable. The only possible option is to eat only one or two pieces, exclusively in the period of persistent remission. Choose a quality product of well-known brands.

• If the eyes want, and the stomach resists and reacts with discomfort, then even this minimal loosening of the diet should not be allowed.

Black chocolate in gastritis and other gastric pathologies is better to replace with allowed sweets. These include marshmallows, marshmallows, marmalade, jams, jellies, caramel. If possible, they are prepared at home, from natural ingredients.

Benefits

Chocolate has traveled a long historical path: from the land of the Aztecs on the American continent - to every European country and from an expensive elite beverage - to a generally available solid condiment. The bars familiar to us appeared in England and France around the middle of the 19th century.

Flavonols and methylxanthines are the most active components of cocoa. Flavonols are polyphenolic structures, which in cocoa include catechin and its derivatives, and procyanidins B2, B3 and C1. Recent interest in these compounds is due to their antioxidant properties. [1]

Among the many health-promoting effects hypothesized for antioxidants, anti-inflammatory actions seem promising. [2] In fact, flavonols inhibit lipid peroxidation and affect the production of lipids or lipid-derived molecules that regulate the immune response, and dietary cocoa has recently been shown to reduce obesity-related inflammation in high-fat mice. [3] Chocolates alter gut flora in a similar way to prebiotics and probiotics. [4]

A serving of dark chocolate (70-85% cocoa) contains 1.7 g of fiber per 100 kcal, while semi-sweet chocolate and milk chocolate contain 1.2 g and 0.6 g per 100 kcal, respectively. Their consumption improves the LDL:HDL ratio. [5]

Although the lipid content of chocolate is relatively high, one-third of the lipids in cocoa butter is stearic acid (18:0), which is considered nonatherogenic and has a neutral cholesterolemic response in humans. [6]

Dark chocolate (70%-85% cocoa) contains 36 mg of magnesium per 100 kcal serving, which is 9% of the US Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for middle-aged men, more than three times the amount provided by milk chocolate. Magnesium is a cofactor in protein synthesis, muscle relaxation, and energy production. Magnesium is antiarrhythmic and hypotensive.

Chocolate is an important source of copper; milk chocolate provides 10% of the U.S. Recommended daily allowance of copper per 100 kcal serving, while dark chocolate provides 31% and cocoa powder provides 23% per tablespoon.

• However, chocolate in gastritis is completely inappropriate - for the reason that it causes heartburn, nausea, progression of pathological processes in the digestive organs.

Chocolate boosts immunity, prevents tooth decay, slows aging, and boosts brain activity. A product consisting of 50 percent or more of cocoa can stop a prolonged cough. Theobromine, which is rich in cocoa beans, is responsible for this.

Regular consumption of the sweet reduces the risk of atrial fibrillation, relieves sore throat, improves blood supply to the brain and eye retina. Thanks to this, there is a temporary improvement in vision.

Chocolate neutralizes free radicals and maintains youthfulness. A whole cosmetology trend is based on this property - salons offer procedures of chocolate masks and wraps, actively fight cellulite. Finally, the taste and aroma of the dessert always evokes positive emotions, invigorates, improves mood and the nervous system.

Contraindications

Chocolate has properties undesirable for overweight people. This is an abundance of fats and high calorie content: in 100g bars - more than 500 kcal. It can cause a reaction in people prone to allergies. And even addiction - if you "get addicted" so much that you eat half a kilo of sweets a day. This problem is more relevant for children. Contraindications concern exactly such categories of people.

• Chocolate is bad for gastritis because of caffeine. The same component is considered particularly dangerous for men: it can cause prostate enlargement.

Alternatives to chocolate are non-corrosive, less fatty and sweet sweets: toffees, caramel candies, marshmallows, jellies, marmalade, marshmallows, jams and honey in minimal quantities. Diabetic and cheap products on trans fats can not be considered a worthy substitute. Intemperance in this matter threatens unpleasant and dangerous consequences.

Possible risks

A quality product in moderate quantities prevents possible complications in healthy people. However, there are products that are full of palm or coconut fats instead of cocoa butter. Such a product can unbalance the hormonal system, provoke overweight, atherosclerosis and other problems.

• Chocolate in gastritis causes nausea, heartburn, belching, pain and other unpleasant symptoms from the digestive organs.

Complications in the form of allergic manifestations are possible. If any alarming symptoms appear, the treat should be discarded. Rarely, but addiction may develop due to the fact that the product has a drug-like effect.

With digestive problems, a person has to deny himself many habits. Favorite sweets: sweet pastries, candy, chocolate in gastritis and pancreatitis - unhealthy products, so disappear from the diet, something temporarily, and something forever. But there is good news: you can always find a sweet alternative. In our case, these are non-chocolate desserts: jelly, marshmallow, marmalade, toffee, caramel or honey.