What are the best meal replacement shakes for gastritis?

drink wholesome makes the best meal replacement shakes for gastritis.

Written by Jack Schrupp & endorsed by Baylee Reller, RDN

What is gastritis?

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Gastritis is a medical condition characterized by inflammation in the lining of the stomach. It can be caused by bacterial infections, excessive alcohol consumption, prolonged use of certain drugs, stress, and autoimmune disorders. Common symptoms include abdominal pain, bloating, indigestion, nausea, vomiting, and feelings of fullness.

There are two different types of gastritis: acute gastritis (short-term inflammation) and chronic gastritis (long-term or recurring inflammation). Chronic gastritis, if left untreated, can lead to complications like ulcers and an increased risk of stomach cancer.

Gastritis treatment depends on the underlying cause, but may involve medication, stress management, and dietary changes. Many people find that avoiding certain foods or ingredients, for example, can improve their symptoms. That said, what triggers symptoms varies from one person to the next, so it is important to pay close attention to what you eat, and how it affects your body.

Is meal replacement powder good for gastritis?

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Meal replacements can be a great source of nutrition for individuals with gastritis, especially during flare-ups. If you cannot stomach solid food, or if you have no appetite, a nutritious, liquid meal can be a lifesaver. Basically, adding a meal replacement shake to your diet is an easy way to make sure you are eating enough. Eating enough is not only important for maintaining a healthy weight, but also for healing. That said, not all meal replacements are created equal.

Unfortunately, most meal replacement powders and shakes are full of added ingredients that can cause gastrointestinal (GI) side effects and long-term gut inflammation. Additives like emulsifiers, thickeners, artificial sweeteners, and flavors are among the top ingredients to look out for, but there are many, many more. Keep reading to learn about how to pick meal replacement that is safe for someone with gastritis.

What is the best meal replacement shake for gastritis?

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The best meal replacement shakes for gastritis are made with 100% real foods – foods you can find in nature. If you read an ingredient list, and come across anything that is not naturally occurring (natural flavors are not naturally occurring, walk away. A meal replacement is simply a convenient, easy-to-eat form of food. It should not look like a science experiment, especially if you have pre-existing gut issues.

Why drink wholesome?

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drink wholesome is additive-free.

One of the reasons why we make the best meal replacement shakes for gastritis is that we do not use food additives. On the contrary, most other meal replacements are full of additives. Even in small quantities, these added ingredients can cause unwelcome gastrointestinal (GI) side effects, especially for individuals with pre-existing gut issues. Common side effects include bloating, cramps, constipation, diarrhea, and flatulence.

Here is a list of the most common food additives in meal replacement powder:

acacia gum, acesulfame potassium, artificial flavors, aspartame, carrageenan, cellulose gum, dextrin, dextrose, erythritol, gellan gum, guar gum, gum arabic, inulin, locust bean gum, “natural” flavors, maltodextrin, rice syrup solids, soy lecithin, silica, sucralose, sunflower lecithin, xanthan gum, xylitol

The real concern regarding food additives surrounds their potential long-term consequences. Regularly eating food can disrupt regulatory pathways within your intestines, increasing the risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other systemic inflammatory disorders. Furthermore, food additives, particularly artificial sweeteners, can disturb the delicate balance bacteria in your gut, thus impacting your ability to digest and absorb food.

our ingredients: 

egg whites, almonds, oats, coconut, cocoa, monk fruit

the alternative:

SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, CANOLA OIL, MALTODEXTRIN, ISOMALTULOSE, SOLUBLE CORN FIBER, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, VITAMIN AND MINERAL PREMIX, CELLULOSE, NATURAL & ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, SOY LECITHIN, SALT, MONO & DIGLYCERIDE, XANTHAN GUM, SUCRALOSE

drink wholesome is dairy-free.

Another reason why we make the best meal replacement shake for gastritis is that we do not use dairy-based proteins. In contrast, many other meal replacements use whey and/or casein protein, byproducts of the production of cheese and yogurt. These dairy-based proteins are infamous for sparking digestive issues, especially among the approximately one-third of adults  with lactose intolerance. People with lactose intolerance lack sufficient enzymes to fully digest lactose, the sugar in dairy. As emphasized above, the incomplete digestion of food can lead to a series of unpleasant GI side effects.

drink wholesome is made with real foods.

A final reason why we make the best meal replacement for gastritis is that we do not use protein concentrates or isolates. Nearly all other meal replacement powders are made from one or both of these protein sources.

Protein concentrates and isolates have been stripped of everything but the protein using mechanical and chemical processing, sometimes involving solvents like hexane. What you put in your body therefore looks very little like real food. 

Your gut is supposed to digest minimally or unprocessed foods, not protein concentrates or isolates. This is why mounting research indicates that regularly consuming ingredients like these can disrupt the balance of your gut microbiome. This, as you might imagine, is the last thing you want if you have gastritis.

Instead of using protein concentrates or isolates, we make the best gastritis meal replacement with egg whites and almonds. Minimally-processed protein sources like these are a gut-friendly alternative to protein concentrates and isolates.

Unlike protein isolates and concentrates, egg whites and almonds come complete with enzymes and natural digestive aids that make them easier to digest. Egg whites are also low fiber, low FODMAP, alkaline (helping maintain healthy pH levels in your gut), and bioactive (encouraging the growth of good gut bacteria).

Almonds, on the other hand, are also very good for your gut! They are prebiotic, meaning they enhance the diversity of your gut microbiome, and give you regular and healthy bowel movements. Simple, gut-friendly ingredients like this are our secret to making the best meal replacement shakes for gastritis.

★★★★★

no stomach issues

“I’ve had gastritis twice, and had cdiff twice. My stomachs a wreck. I have to be super careful with what I consume. This is the only meal replacement I use. It doesn’t cause me indigestion, inflammation or pain.” – Jeremy

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