These Nigerian Foods Could Be Triggering Your Ulcer—Here’s What to Skip

If you've ever experienced the burning, gnawing pain in your stomach, you know how discomforting it can be, especially when navigating spicy, oily, and pepper-filled Nigerian foods. Our food may be rich, flavourful, and culturally diverse, but not every meal is stomach-friendly for you if you have an ulcer.

If you’re trying to heal ulcers, what you consume can accelerate the healing process or exacerbate the pain. In this article, we’ll highlight the most prevalent Nigerian foods that can aggravate your ulcer and provide healthier alternatives for your stomach.

Nigerian cuisine is rarely prepared without a generous quantity of Scotch bonnet (also known as atarodo), cayenne pepper (also known as ground dry pepper), and other spicy condiments. They provide the heat in popular dishes like egusi soup, ofe akwu, ayamase, and pepper soup.

Spicy foods can inflame the stomach lining and stimulate acid production, exacerbating ulcer symptoms such as pain and bloating.

Go for less spicy soups, like plain okra, ewedu, or ogbono boiled with little or no pepper. You can still have your soups, but cook them with aromatic herbs like basil and thyme and milder spices like scent leaf or turmeric.

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Deep-fried treats like puff-puff, akara, fried yam, fried plantain (dodo), chin-chin, and even greasy road buns may be tempting, but they are unsuitable for ulcer patients.

Fried foods slow digestion, cause acid reflux and irritate stomach ulcers. Grilled, steamed, or boiled options. Fried plantain can, for instance, be substituted with boiled or roasted plantain.

Moin moin (steamed bean pudding) can replace akara and fried meat with oven-grilled ones seasoned with herbs.

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Our love for tomato stew and jollof rice is unmatched, though both are very acidic due to their tomato content and are usually flavoured with a pepper-rich base.

Tomatoes have natural acidity, which may exacerbate stomach acidity and cause further discomfort or distress in ulcer patients.

White rice and egg sauce made with tomatoes and a little pepper or plain rice and efo riro (vegetable sauce) are acceptable alternatives. Native rice made with scent leaves and dried fish is also an acceptable alternative.

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Beverages like coffee, energy drinks, and a few soft drinks are staples for most Nigerians, especially those with busy lifestyles.

Caffeine stimulates the production of stomach acid and can relax the lower oesophageal sphincter, leading to acid reflux and exacerbating ulcers.

Warm pap (ogi), kunu made without excessive sugar, or soothing herbal teas like ginger tea (in moderation). Coconut water is also refreshing and ulcer-friendly.

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Oranges, lemons, pineapples, and fruit juices sold in shops are incredibly high in citric acid and are often consumed as snacks or breakfast in Nigeria.

Citrus fruits are acidic and can irritate the stomach lining, exacerbating pain and discomfort. Bananas are ideal; they are suitable for the stomach.

Watermelon, apples, and pears are all gentle on the stomach and are full of water.

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Soggy eba or garri is a staple food in most homes in Nigeria. Unfortunately, it may not be for ulcer patients.

Garri is acidic, especially when consumed in large quantities or fermented. It causes bloating and worsens ulcer pain.

Eat amala (made from yam, beans, or unripe plantain flour, two, or semolina). When taken with mild soups, it is less acidic and gentler on the stomach lining.

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Palm wine, beer, and spirits are popular drinks during parties, but to someone suffering from an ulcer, they can be pretty harmful. Alcohol erodes the stomach lining’s protective mucus and increases acid levels, aggravating ulcers incredibly.

Take non-carbonated, non-alcoholic drinks. Zobo with minimal ginger and sugar, kunu, and tigernut milk make great alternatives if prepared without stomach-prompting spices.

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Fizzy drinks like Coke, Fanta, and Sprite are favourites for instant cooling, but they are not kind to ulcerous stomachs. Carbonation makes bloating and acid reflux worse. The high sugar content can even slow healing.

Warm water, pap, or smoothies made with ulcer-friendly fruits like banana and pawpaw are alternatives. Millet or oat-based drinks are also alternatives.

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Beans contain fibre and protein but can be potentially gaseous, leading to bloating and discomfort for ulcer patients, especially when not well-cooked, as this can cause indigestion and increase gastric discomfort.

If you can tolerate beans, eat very soft, plain beans with minimal seasoning.

You can also replace protein food like boiled eggs or tofu.

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While delicious and protein-rich, egusi soup is typically fried in palm oil and filled with pepper and crayfish, which can burn the stomach lining, triggering flare-ups of ulcers and inflammation.

Okra or vegetable soup (spinach or ugu) cooked with a small amount of oil and without pepper. Oat soup, which is cooked with oatmeal as the staple, is soothing and fibre-rich and can also be used as a replacement.

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We know Nigerian meals are mouth-watering, so you don’t have to give up on them. You have to make smarter, gentler decisions about what you eat. Avoiding or reducing acidic, spicy, fried, or carbonated foods to ulcer-soothing alternatives strongly is the key to bringing symptoms under control and healing.

Always remember that consistency is the key. Regularly eating the proper foods will limit discomfort and assist in your recovery. If symptoms continue, consider a medical professional or nutritionist for a personalised ulcer-management plan.