Dietary Guidelines for Helicobacter pylori Infection: Foods to Avoid and Those to Consume

The bacterium H. pylori colonizes the surface of the mucous membrane of the initial part of the stomach. It is able to live in an acidic environment because it has developed a number of factors that allow it to survive. It can infect up to 70 to 80% of adults. It infects through the digestive tract, for example. Through food containing the bacteria. It may also be transmitted from person to person by eating the same dishes. It most commonly causes infection in childhood.

It should come as no surprise that a diet high in fresh vegetables and fruits (especially those high in vitamin C) reduces the likelihood of infection with H. pylori. The presence of an adequate amount of this vitamin in stomach juice inhibits the growth of bacteria. It also limits the activity of the enzyme urease produced by it. This compound breaks down acidic stomach juices, avoiding the environment around the bacteria, which allows it to survive in the stomach.

Avoid products that stimulate the secretion of stomach juice: alcohol, coffee, strong tea, spices, fried foods and carbonated drinks. Reduce the amount of fatty foods in your diet: mainly fatty meats, smoked fish, refined oils, margarine, fatty powders (fat cheeses, melted, yellow, hard, hard-boiled eggs). It is also recommended to limit sugar, sugar confectionery, chocolate. Sugar is an ideal environment for bacterial growth and therefore should be avoided.

Increased intake of vitamin A (carotenoids) and vitamin C (antioxidants) should be increased in the diet. These include spinach, sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, strawberries, apples, cereals, onions and celery. These vitamins are helpful in preventing the attachment of H. pylori bacteria to the walls of the stomach.