Water is the single best thing you can drink when you have gastritis. Beyond that, a handful of other beverages can soothe your stomach or even help it heal, while several popular drinks will make things worse. The key is choosing liquids that won’t trigger extra acid production or irritate an already inflamed stomach lining.
Water and Clear Fluids Come First
Plain water is the safest choice because it hydrates without adding acid, caffeine, or sugar that could aggravate your stomach. During a gastritis flare, dehydration can sneak up on you, especially if nausea has reduced your appetite. Aim to sip steadily throughout the day rather than gulping large amounts at once.
Room-temperature or slightly warm water is ideal. Research on healthy volunteers found that both cold (around 39°F) and hot (around 122°F) drinks empty from the stomach more slowly than body-temperature liquids. Cold drinks in particular slowed the initial emptying rate significantly. That slower emptying means liquid sits in your stomach longer, which can increase discomfort when your lining is already irritated. Keeping your drinks closer to room temperature helps them pass through more smoothly.
Herbal Teas That Calm the Stomach
Ginger tea is one of the most studied options. Ginger’s active compounds work as natural anti-inflammatories and also help regulate how your digestive tract moves food along. A systematic review in Food Science & Nutrition confirmed that ginger’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects have been demonstrated in multiple human trials, with benefits for nausea, vomiting, and general gastrointestinal distress. To make ginger tea, steep a few thin slices of fresh ginger root in hot (not boiling) water for five to ten minutes. Start with a mild brew and adjust to taste.
Chamomile tea is another good option. In a clinical trial comparing ginger and chamomile, both significantly reduced the frequency of vomiting in patients with GI upset. Chamomile has a mild, slightly sweet flavor and is naturally caffeine-free, making it easy on the stomach. Licorice root tea (specifically the “deglycyrrhizinated” type, often sold as DGL) is sometimes recommended as well, though it’s less extensively studied than ginger.
Low-Acid Fruit Juices
Not all fruit juice is off-limits. The problem is acidity, so you want to avoid citrus juices like orange, grapefruit, and lemon. Instead, look for juices made from gentler fruits. Pear juice is a particularly good choice because pears actually help reduce gastric juice production, giving your stomach lining a chance to recover. Banana-based smoothies have a similar effect.
Cranberry juice (the low-sugar variety) may also help reduce gastritis symptoms and acid reflux. If you’re blending your own juice, apples, pears, bananas, and berries are all considered safe for most people with gastritis. Diluting any juice with water is a simple way to lower its acidity further and make it easier on your stomach.
Bone Broth for Gut Repair
Bone broth has a long reputation as a healing food, and recent research backs that up. A 2025 review published on PubMed found that bone broth is rich in amino acids (glutamine, glycine, proline, and arginine) and minerals (calcium, magnesium, zinc, potassium) that specifically support intestinal barrier function. These nutrients help reduce inflammation in the gut lining and improve the barrier that protects your stomach wall from acid.
Glutamine in particular fuels the cells that line your digestive tract, helping them repair and regenerate. Glycine acts as an anti-inflammatory. Together, they make bone broth more than just a comfort food. Choose a low-sodium version or make your own by simmering bones for 12 to 24 hours, and drink it warm rather than piping hot.
Aloe Vera Juice
Aloe vera juice, made from the inner gel of the aloe leaf, has documented anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties. Animal studies have shown that aloe vera treatment reduces inflammatory markers in the stomach, promotes the growth of new epithelial cells, and accelerates gastric ulcer healing. In one study, aloe vera performed comparably to a standard prescription mucosal protectant in reducing stomach inflammation and encouraging tissue repair.
Look for aloe vera juice labeled as “inner fillet” or “purified,” which removes the outer leaf compounds that act as a laxative. Start with a small amount (a couple of tablespoons diluted in water) to see how your stomach responds.
Why Milk Doesn’t Actually Help
Milk feels soothing going down, and for decades people with stomach problems were told to drink it. The reality is more complicated. A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine tested whole, low-fat, and nonfat milk and found that all three caused a significant increase in stomach acid production. That acid boost reached 20% to 35% of the stomach’s maximum output. In patients with ulcers, the rebound was even more pronounced.
The reason is straightforward: milk contains both protein and calcium, and both stimulate your stomach to produce more acid. So while milk might briefly coat your stomach and feel relieving, the acid surge that follows can worsen gastritis symptoms within an hour or two. If you enjoy milk, small amounts with food are less problematic than drinking a full glass on an empty stomach.
Drinks to Avoid During a Flare
Three categories of beverages consistently make gastritis worse:
- Alcohol. It directly damages the stomach lining and is one of the recognized causes of gastritis in the first place. Even moderate drinking can delay healing.
- Caffeinated drinks. Coffee, energy drinks, and strong black or green tea all stimulate acid production. Johns Hopkins Medicine lists caffeine among the substances that cause discomfort in people with gastritis.
- Carbonated beverages. The gas from carbonation can increase bloating and put pressure on an irritated stomach. Sugary sodas add another layer of irritation.
Citrus juices, tomato juice, and highly acidic sports drinks also fall into the “avoid” category. If you’re unsure about a specific drink, check the label for citric acid, which is added to many flavored beverages as a preservative.
A Practical Drinking Schedule
During an active gastritis flare, structure your fluid intake around these principles: sip water throughout the day, keep beverages at room temperature or slightly warm, and introduce other drinks one at a time so you can identify anything that bothers you. A simple daily pattern might look like water between meals, ginger or chamomile tea in the morning and evening, a cup of bone broth with lunch or dinner, and diluted pear juice if you want something with flavor.
As your symptoms improve, you can gradually reintroduce other beverages. Many people find they can tolerate small amounts of decaf coffee or diluted low-acid juice once the inflammation has settled. Pay attention to how your stomach responds in the hour after drinking something new, since that’s when irritation typically shows up.