You’ve most likely heard of ulcers or seen commercials for ulcer medication. While this medical condition is quite common, it can also be incredibly dangerous if not properly treated.

Let’s take a step back. What are ulcers?

Ulcers, also commonly referred to as peptic ulcers, are “open sores that develop on the inside lining of your stomach and the upper portion of your small intestine.” There are typically two kinds of ulcers: gastric ulcers — which “occur on the inside of the stomach” — and duodenal ulcers — which “occur on the inside of the upper portion of your small intestine” or duodenum. Both forms of ulcers generally present with similar symptoms including “burning stomach pain, bloating, belching, or feeling full, heartburn, nausea, and if you find you can’t tolerate fatty foods.” Yet, if you don’t seek out medical treatment these symptoms can progress including “vomiting (or vomiting blood), faintness and trouble breathing, appetite changes, unexplained weight loss, and dark tarry stools (or blood in your stool).”

Luckily, there are many plant-based foods that are healing for ulcers including flavonoids and probiotics — such as kale, broccoli, legumes, soybeans, green tea, red grapes, kimchi, and miso — as well as plant-based stomach friendly foods — such as garlic, cranberry, dark chocolate, and flaxseed — and lots of veggies and fruits, in particular, cabbage, carrot, celery, raspberries, and elderberries.

Here are 15 recipes from the Food Monster App that may help soothe ulcers!

1. Raspberry Lemon Tart Smoothie

Source: Raspberry Lemon Tart Smoothie

This Raspberry Lemon Tart Smoothie by Maryea Flaherty provides an array of powerful anti-inflammatory agents including gut-healing flavonoids. With 4 simple ingredients — frozen raspberries, fresh lemon juice, stevia powder, and water — this is a great frozen treat to pack for breakfast or sip on after dinner.

2. Fresh Cranberry Scones

Source: Fresh Cranberry Scones

Start your day with these simple, warming, and refreshing Fresh Cranberry Scones by Lan Pham Wilson. The bulk of these scones comes from fresh cranberries, which also happen to be flavonoid-rich and great for healing ulcers. Plus, you’ll get a citrusy dose of orange zest and candied ginger, all enriched with coconut oil.

3. Raw Purple Sauerkraut

Source: Raw Purple Sauerkraut

This Raw Purple Sauerkraut recipe by Julia Winnicki offers a double dose of ulcer healing properties. Sauerkraut is fermented, meaning it is a probiotic food, and it is made from cabbage. In this recipe, Winnicki uses both green and purple cabbage, along with fermented miso paste and stomach-soothing ginger.

4. Cafe Style Matcha Tea Latte

Source: Cafe Style Matcha Tea Latte

Oftentimes, the acidity in coffee can aggravate ulcer symptoms. Yet, most of us are jonesing for that morning dose of caffeine. What are you to do? How about trying out antioxidant powerhouse green tea extract matcha? This Cafe Style Matcha Tea Latte by Carlota Cassou uses 5 simple ingredients — matcha, water, nut milk, vanilla, and agave — with optional cacao powder or additional matcha powder to sprinkle on top. Filled with healthy fat, natural sweetness, and flavonoids, this is the perfect alternative to that cup of joe in the morning!

5. Cinnamon Spiced Apple and Grape Salad

Source: Cinnamon Spiced Apple and Grape Salad

Red grapes are a colorful addition to a salad and they also happen to be a great source of gut-healing flavonoids. This Cinnamon Spiced Apple and Grape Salad by Danielle Joy asks for a half cup of grapes, along with a mix of gut-friendly green leafy veggies including arugula and chard.

6. Lychee and Kombucha Spritz

Source: Lychee and Kombucha Spritz

The craze around kombucha is definitely warranted. This bubbly and probiotic-rich beverage is great for an ulcer-soothing diet! This Lychee and Kombucha Spritz by Jessica Sepel infuses all of those wonderful gut-friendly agents with refreshing, fresh mint and antioxidant-rich lychee fruit.

7. Instant Pot Cabbage Soup

Source: Instant Pot Cabbage Soup

The best thing for an upset stomach is a mellow-flavored, warm, and comforting soup. This Instant Pot Cabbage Soup by Jordan and Clark Cord is rich in gut-friendly cabbage-sourced glutamine — an abundant amino acid that aids in digestive system, cardiovascular system, and circulatory system health. This recipe is naturally sweetened with carrots and corn and thickened with vegetable broth and olive oil.

8. Baked Broccoli Burgers

Source: Baked Broccoli Burger

Don’t miss out on your favorite foods because of a stomach ulcer! Instead, experiment with completely plant-based versions of your favorites, such as this Baked Broccoli Burger by Nikki Haney. With this recipe, you avoid the acid-inducing agents of frying by baking your pattie, which is infused with gut-friendly broccoli, protein-rich chickpeas, and a slew of mellow and enriching flavors!

9. Matcha Berry Pancakes

Source: Matcha Berry Pancakes

These Matcha Berry Pancakes by Rachel Carr will not only fill your stomach with ulcer-friendly matcha and flaxseed, but they are also a great source of flavonoid-rich berries. For an even friendly version of this recipe, avoid using sugar-rich maple syrup!

10. Carrot and Kale Quinoa Patties

Source: Carrot and Kale Quinoa Patties

If you’re looking for the champion of green leafy veggies, look no further than kale! One cup of raw kale has dietary fiber, protein, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, vitamins A, C, and K, folate, and an array of minerals including calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium. Kale also happens to be a great plant-based food to help heal ulcers! This Carrot and Kale Quinoa Patties recipe by Judy Moosmeller asks for at least one cup of kale along with a host of other nutritionally-rich ingredients.

11. Hazelnut Mousse with Warm Raspberries

Source: Hazelnut Mousse with Warm Raspberries

Just because you’re healing an ulcer, doesn’t mean you can’t have dessert just like everyone else! This Hazelnut Mousse with Warm Raspberries by Ida Hemmingsson-Holl infuses a dose of gut-healing, flavonoid-rich raspberries with protein-rich tofu, antioxidant-rich cacao, and healthy-fat filled coconut oil.

12. Homemade Kimchi

Source: Homemade Kimchi

Most packaged snack foods are generally rich in ulcer-aggravating ingredients. This Homemade Kimchi recipe by Adam Merrin and Ryan Alvarez is not only filled with gut-healing probiotics, but it’s also a great and ulcer-safe snack idea for those mid-day cravings!

13. Winter Purple Cauliflower Salad

Source: Winter Purple Cauliflower Salad

Filled with vibrant colors and gut-friendly broccoli and cabbage, this Winter Purple Cauliflower Salad recipe by Kristina Jug and Mitja Bezensek is the perfect packable lunch to help heal your gut. Along with the heartiness of these cruciferous veggies, this salad uses earthy almonds and kidney beans, all topped off with a citrus dressing.

14. Homemade Raw Sauerkraut

Source: Homemade Raw Sauerkraut

If you’re looking for traditional, simple, and savory, this Homemade Raw Sauerkraut recipe by Marina Yanay-Triner is perfect! It only takes three ingredients — green cabbage, carrots, and sea salt — and you’ve got an easy to travel, gut-healing, digestive-tract friendly, probiotic-rich snack.

15. Baked Kale Chips

Source: Baked Kale Chips

It doesn’t get simpler than these delicious, crispy, and gut-healing Baked Kale Chips by Lindsay S. Nixon. Nixon adds a slight twist to traditional kale chip recipes by removing any use of oil and adding nutritional yeast, which makes these savory chips oil-free and incredibly nutritious.

We also highly recommend downloading our Food Monster App, which is available for iPhone, and can also be found on Instagram and Facebook. The app has more than 15,000 plant-based, allergy-friendly recipes, and subscribers gain access to new recipes every day. Check it out!

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