Gastritis Diet: 18 Foods To Avoid and Eat

4. Be Careful With Spicy Foods

Spicy foods frequently take the blame for causing inflammation or worsening symptoms, though they don't affect everyone the exact same way.

For some, spicy dishes heavily irritate the esophagus and stomach lining, causing immediate pain. Because capsaicin slows down digestion, spicy food often triggers heartburn, which is uncomfortable, but not the same thing as gastritis.

Interestingly, some research shows that capsaicin can decrease acid production, which might benefit certain people with acid reflux or gastritis. Since the reaction varies from person to person, start with very small amounts if you want to test it in your diet.