What are the best meal replacement shakes for gastritis?
Written by Jack Schrupp and reviewed by Ella McGonagle, M.S. Nutrition
drink wholesome makes the best meal replacement shakes for gastritis. They are additive-free, dairy-free, and made with real foods, not protein isolates – 99% of meal replacements fail to meet at least one of these criteria. This makes them perfect for people with sensitive stomachs and gut issues like gastritis. Order samples to see if our meal replacements are right for you.
★★★★★
“I have a sensitive stomach, so most meal replacement powders leave me with gas, bloating, constipation, and stomach pain, but not this one.” – Shon
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drink wholesome makes the best meal replacement shakes for gastritis.
What is gastritis?
Are meal replacement shakes good for gastritis?
What are the best meal replacement shakes for gastritis?
Why drink wholesome?
What is gastritis?
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?
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?
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?
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.
Because additives look nothing like real food, they are only partially digested and linger in your gut. As a result, they trigger one of two outcomes: either your gut absorbs excess water, causing diarrhea, or the additives feed your gut bacteria, which produce gas. An excessive build-up of gas can bring about symptoms like bloating, flatulence, and stomach pain, and even constipation.
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.
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. The overwhelming majority of other meal replacements rely on one or both of these protein sources, which are foods stripped of almost everything except the protein content. Instead of simply being labeled as “peas” or “whey,” they are listed as “pea protein” or “whey protein.”
The process of creating protein concentrates and isolates involves extensive mechanical and chemical alterations. In some instances, chemical solvents like hexane are used to extract the protein from its natural source. Consequently, what you end up adding to your meal replacement shake bears little resemblance to real food.
Your digestive system is designed to handle minimally-processed or unprocessed real foods, not artificial substitutes. Introducing anything other than real food into your body can lead to unfavorable side effects. While ongoing research investigates the long-term effects of consuming processed ingredients like protein isolates, emerging studies suggest that they might have the potential to disrupt the gut microbiome.
Beyond its role in digestion, the gut serves as a vital barrier against harmful pathogens, contributes to educating the immune system, and impacts various physiological processes. Upsetting the balance of the gut microbiome has been strongly linked to the development of various chronic illnesses. In light of this connection, I strongly discourage the consumption of meal replacements made with protein concentrates and isolates.
Instead of using protein concentrates or isolates, we make the best meal replacements for gastritis with real food protein sources like egg whites and almonds. Egg whites are simply pasteurized and dried, and almonds are just roasted, pressed (to remove some oil), and ground. These minimally-processed ingredients are easy to digest and support your gut health.
Unlike protein isolates and concentrates, real foods come naturally equipped with enzymes and digestive aids that assist the digestion process. Egg whites are also low fiber, low FODMAP, and naturally alkaline. Almonds, on the other hand have prebiotic effects, which foster the diversity and composition of the gut microbiome. They also contribute to promoting healthy and regular bowel movements.
In conclusion, we prioritize the well-being of your gut by subjecting our meal replacement powders to minimal processing.
★★★★★
“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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drink wholesome makes the best meal replacement shakes for gastritis.
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This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. drink wholesome is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.