The almost universal belief that milk neutralizes the acid in the stomach and heals ulcers, was just fiction. In fact, the neutralizing effect of milk passes in twenty-thirty minutes, and then the level of acid is further enhanced because milk promotes the release of a gastrin hormone, which stimulates new  acid secretion. An experiment conducted at the University of California confirmed the negative role of milk in the diet for gastric and duodenal ulcers. The experiment involved ulcer patients and healthy people. The participants were given whole milk, low fat milk and skim milk. In all cases, the level of acid exceed the norm, especially for the ulcer patients. This increased acid secretion continued for 3 hours. Further, it was reported in 1986 by Indian doctors that including cow's milk in the diet for gastric ulcer, prevents healing, acting worse than a regular diet. The researchers traced the effect of regular diet and milk diet for hospital patients. Ulcers were healed for 78% of patients on a regular diet, but for only 50% of those on a milk diet. The interesting thing is that milk gave an illusory sense of improvement in the stomach because of its temporary analgesic properties. This explains its continued use as an anti-ulcer agent. So, if you have a stomach ulcer, and you are offered to drink milk - flee away!

Stay away from beer! Beer dramatically increases the acidity of gastric juice. Professor Martin Singer (Germany) found that beer had almost double the acidity of gastric juice. At the same time, vodka or brandy didn't have  the same negative effect. The researcher concluded that the culprit in beer for the growth of acidity  wasn't alcohol. It was the other components of beer, like yeast, most likely causing fermentation. The diet for gastric ulcers should exclude beer, even near beer.