Seeds with gastritis: can you or not?

One of the most popular and beloved products for most of us are seeds - mainly sunflower or pumpkin seeds. However, not everyone knows that in some cases they should not be consumed in order not to harm health. For example, it is not advisable to eat seeds if you have gastritis. Why? Let's try to answer this question.

Can you eat seeds if you have gastritis?

What is gastritis? It is an inflammatory process in the gastric mucosa, which is caused by a specific bacterium Helicobacter pylori. The bacterium enters the stomach with food or water, and can also enter the body due to unwashed hands. Additional factors include:

• alcohol consumption, smoking;
• overeating, irregular meal times;
• eating disorders;
• severe stress, anxiety.

If gastritis has appeared, the first thing the doctor will tell the patient is the need for changes in nutrition, in the correction of eating habits, in the exclusion of certain types of food. Seeds with gastritis also often fall into "disfavor", as well as nuts and most dried fruits.

Sunflower seeds for gastritis with high acidity

With excess acidity, the gastric mucosa is irritated by almost any, even neutral, products. Exacerbations of the inflammatory process often occur. At this stage, it is recommended to give preference to soft porridges cooked in water, ground meat, steamed meatballs and stewed vegetables.

Is it possible to eat seeds in such a state? Of course not. Their coarse structure will damage the stomach walls, and the fats in the composition will disrupt the already poor digestion of the food mass. Here are the symptoms the patient will experience as a result:

• pain inside the abdomen;
• impaired motility (diarrhea or constipation);
• burning sensation behind the breastbone, belching;
• bloating and abdominal discomfort.

In patients suffering from gastritis, with excess acidity, seeds will increase acid production, which will lead to a deterioration in well-being.

General information seeds

Doctors explain: even if gastritis is in remission, seeds will still irritate the mucous membrane, which can ultimately lead to a relapse of the disease. And in people with a healthy digestive system, eating a large amount of seeds can cause heartburn, abdominal pain, and digestion problems. What to do?

In acute and subacute periods of gastritis, seeds are strictly contraindicated. After remission, it is allowed (but not recommended) to consume 10-20 g of seeds after meals, but not more than once every 7-10 days.

Pumpkin seeds for gastritis

Pumpkin seeds are especially popular among Mexicans and people from Eastern European countries. These seeds can be eaten raw, fried, boiled, and also in salads, main courses, etc. Heat treatment does not affect the microelement composition of the product, but the vitamins in the seeds become noticeably less. In our country, pumpkin seeds are famous for their anthelmintic properties, as well as the ability to improve men's health. The composition of the seeds is varied:

• proteins;
• vitamin K;
• magnesium, iron, copper, phosphorus, zinc;
• amino acids;
• essential oils;
• organic acids;
• B vitamins;
• ascorbic acid;
• resins.

Pumpkin seeds for gastritis increase the load on digestion, and if consumed with dairy products, this can provoke a serious intestinal disorder. [ 1 ], [ 2 ], [ 3 ], [ 4 ]

Sunflower seeds for gastritis

Sunflower seeds are a long-standing attribute for friendly gatherings and idle pastime, and for some people - an excellent means of getting rid of nicotine addiction. If we consider the composition of the product, then the seeds are simply a storehouse of useful components:

• tocopherol (the so-called "beauty vitamin");
• B vitamins;
• phosphorus, zinc, iron, magnesium, copper, potassium, selenium;
• proteins;
• phytin;
• nicotinic acid;
• carotenoids;
• fiber.

In European countries, sunflower seeds are used to treat respiratory diseases, allergies and malaria. But sunflower seeds are not recommended for gastritis: they have a fairly dense structure, which can injure the internal tissues of the stomach. In addition, the acidity of gastric secretions increases, and heartburn appears. [ 5 ], [ 6 ], [ 7 ]

Fried seeds for gastritis

Gastritis is a disease in which any fried food should be excluded from the diet. And seeds are no exception. Fried seeds are a powerful irritant to unhealthy gastric mucosa. This leads to increased activity of the inflammatory process, increased acid secretion.

Outside the acute stage, seeds may be consumed only if the following conditions are met:

• seeds (no more than ten grams) are ground in a mortar and sprinkled over the side dish, cottage cheese, or yogurt;
• eat a small amount of seeds (up to 10 g) after meals, washing them down with jelly.

But remember: it would be better to completely avoid various seeds when you have gastritis, because useful substances can be found in other products. And seeds are considered an extremely undesirable product when you have gastritis.

Benefits

Sunflower seeds have a number of both harmful and beneficial qualities. They contain microelements, B vitamins, tocopherol, vitamin A, and various amino acids, which the human body really needs. Eating sunflower seeds in reasonable quantities and after meals can improve heart function, strengthen hair and skin.

However, seeds are a fairly fatty product, and this cannot be called a positive quality: such fats can cause digestive disorders, kidney and liver problems, and metabolic disorders. Seeds also aggravate various dental diseases.

Doctors note that the acceptable daily dose of seeds for a healthy adult should not exceed 50 g. They should be eaten little by little, after meals. For sick people outside the acute stage, this amount should be reduced by about three times. [ 8 ], [ 9 ]

Contraindications

Nutritionists definitely do not recommend eating seeds for gastritis and peptic ulcers. Contraindications also include:

• overweight;
• diabetes mellitus;
• metabolic disorders;
• colitis, enterocolitis.

Even healthy people are not recommended to eat seeds in large quantities.

Complications

Perhaps everyone will agree with this statement: having eaten just a few seeds, it is almost impossible to stop, your hand reaches for another portion again and again. This is one of the factors explaining why you shouldn’t even start trying seeds if you have gastritis.

Scientists from the Stanford University of Biology have provided evidence that humans can become addicted to sunflower seeds. They conducted an experiment on rodents and discovered that the brain structures responsible for reflex activity and the formation of addictions were activated by eating the tasty seeds.

Sunflower seeds cause additional damage to the mucous tissues of the stomach when used for gastritis. In addition, they contain quite a lot of fat. If you consume them in large quantities and regularly, you can provoke excessive secretory activity not only of the stomach, but also of the duodenum. This will lead to pain, increased acidity, increased gas formation and other troubles.