No single food reliably kills H. pylori on its own. Standard antibiotic therapy clears the infection in roughly 70–90% of cases, and no dietary approach comes close to that. But several foods contain compounds that suppress H. pylori growth, reduce bacterial load, and meaningfully boost the success rate of medical treatment when used alongside it.
Here’s what the clinical evidence actually shows for the most studied options.
Broccoli Sprouts Have the Strongest Evidence
Broccoli sprouts contain high concentrations of a compound called sulforaphane, which directly damages H. pylori in the stomach lining. They’re the single most studied food for this purpose, and the results are genuinely promising.
In a key clinical trial, eating broccoli sprouts rich in glucoraphanin (sulforaphane’s precursor) daily for eight weeks reduced H. pylori levels measured by breath tests and stool antigen tests, and also lowered markers of stomach inflammation. A separate smaller study found that 7 out of 9 patients tested negative for H. pylori by stool antigen after eating broccoli sprouts twice daily for just seven days, and 6 of those stayed negative more than a month later.
The effective amounts in trials ranged from about 14 to 56 grams of broccoli sprouts eaten twice a day. That’s roughly a small handful at each serving. Regular mature broccoli contains the same compound but in much lower concentrations, so sprouts are the better choice if you’re specifically trying to suppress H. pylori.
Probiotics Boost Antibiotic Treatment
Probiotics don’t replace antibiotics, but adding them to standard treatment significantly improves the odds of clearing the infection. A clinical trial testing Lactobacillus reuteri alongside standard triple therapy (a proton pump inhibitor plus two antibiotics for two weeks) found an eradication rate of 93.2% in the probiotic group compared to 68.9% with antibiotics alone. That’s a substantial difference.
A large network meta-analysis covering over 9,000 patients across 34 trials confirmed that most probiotic-supplemented therapies outperformed triple therapy alone. Combinations of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus strains achieved eradication rates of about 78%, and adding Saccharomyces (a beneficial yeast found in some fermented foods) pushed that to around 88%.
You can get these strains through fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi, though the concentrations in food are lower and more variable than in supplement form. If you’re undergoing treatment, probiotic-rich foods are a reasonable daily addition, and they also help reduce the digestive side effects that antibiotics commonly cause.
Cranberry Juice Shows Modest Effects
Cranberry juice contains compounds called proanthocyanidins that interfere with H. pylori’s ability to attach to the stomach lining. Without that attachment, the bacteria are easier for the immune system and medications to clear.
In a trial with Chinese adults already colonized with H. pylori, drinking cranberry juice eradicated the infection in about 14% of subjects. A study in children found that 200 mL (about 7 ounces) of cranberry juice daily for three weeks cleared H. pylori in roughly 17% of participants. Combining cranberry juice with a Lactobacillus probiotic pushed that number to nearly 23%, compared to just 1.5% in a control group receiving neither.
These numbers aren’t high enough to treat an active infection on their own, but they suggest cranberry juice has a real, measurable suppressive effect. If you drink it, choose unsweetened or low-sugar varieties, since added sugar can worsen stomach irritation.
Green Tea Inhibits a Key Bacterial Enzyme
H. pylori survives the stomach’s harsh acid environment by producing an enzyme called urease, which neutralizes acid around the bacterium. The catechins in green tea, particularly the most abundant one (EGCG), inhibit this urease activity. Without it, H. pylori becomes far more vulnerable.
Animal studies have shown that green tea extract suppresses both gastritis and H. pylori colonization in a dose-dependent manner, meaning more tea produced more suppression. Human clinical data is thinner here. One large observational study found no clear association between green tea consumption and H. pylori infection rates in a general population, suggesting that casual tea drinking may not deliver enough of these compounds to make a noticeable difference. Regular consumption of several cups a day is likely needed, though a precise therapeutic dose hasn’t been established in human trials.
Mastic Gum: Promising but Inconsistent
Mastic gum is a resin from a tree grown primarily on the Greek island of Chios. It has a long folk medicine history for stomach complaints, and lab studies show clear antibacterial activity against H. pylori.
In a randomized pilot study, patients took either 350 mg or 1,050 mg of pure mastic gum three times daily for 14 days. The lower dose eradicated H. pylori in 4 out of 13 patients (about 31%), and the higher dose cleared it in 5 out of 13 (about 38%). Interestingly, combining mastic gum with a proton pump inhibitor didn’t improve results. These clearance rates are better than placebo but well below what antibiotics achieve, so mastic gum is best thought of as a supplement to treatment rather than a replacement.
Manuka Honey Kills H. Pylori in the Lab, Not in People
This one is worth addressing because it comes up constantly. Manuka honey at a 5% concentration completely prevents H. pylori growth in laboratory dishes. Every isolate tested was inhibited. That sounds impressive, but when researchers gave actual patients a tablespoon of manuka honey four times daily for two weeks, including a group that also took a proton pump inhibitor, every single one of the 12 patients remained positive for H. pylori.
The likely explanation is dilution. Once honey reaches the stomach and mixes with gastric fluid and food, the concentration drops far below the 5% threshold needed for antibacterial activity. Lab results and real-world results diverge sharply here. Honey won’t hurt your stomach and may soothe symptoms, but it should not be relied on to fight the infection.
Foods That May Worsen the Situation
Research on specific foods that promote H. pylori growth is surprisingly limited. A large study examining dietary habits found no significant association between H. pylori status and consumption of fish, fruits, legumes, meats, dairy, spices, or beverages including wine and green tea. The infection is primarily spread through contaminated water and fecal-oral transmission, not through particular food choices.
That said, certain habits matter for practical reasons. Smoking is significantly associated with H. pylori infection. Unwashed produce can harbor H. pylori in biofilms on vegetable surfaces, making thorough washing important. And while spicy or acidic foods don’t feed the bacteria, they can aggravate the gastritis and ulcer symptoms that H. pylori causes, making you feel worse even if they aren’t helping the bacteria thrive.
How Food Fits Into the Bigger Picture
Standard triple therapy, the first-line treatment for H. pylori, combines a proton pump inhibitor with two antibiotics for 7 to 14 days. Its success rate has been declining in many regions due to antibiotic resistance, which is exactly why researchers are studying dietary adjuncts. The most practical strategy based on current evidence is to use food-based approaches alongside medical treatment, not instead of it.
If you’re being treated for H. pylori, the combination with the best supporting data is: eat broccoli sprouts regularly, drink unsweetened cranberry juice, consume probiotic-rich fermented foods or a multi-strain probiotic supplement, and drink green tea daily. None of these will reliably clear the infection solo, but together with antibiotics, they tilt the odds significantly in your favor. The probiotic data alone, showing a jump from 69% to 93% eradication, makes a strong case that what you eat during treatment genuinely matters.