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The Crohn's disease diet is one of the most important treatment steps, as some foods can worsen symptoms and should therefore be avoided. For this reason, one should also, whenever possible, prefer healthy and varied options to avoid nutritional deficiencies.
Generally, people with Crohn's disease have periods of severe gastrointestinal symptoms, such as diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, changes in taste, constipation and loss of appetite, which can result in malnutrition. Here's how to identify Crohn's syndrome.
Generally speaking, it is important that the diet for this disease is low in foods high in sugar and drinks with caffeine because sugars and caffeine irritate the intestines and can increase the symptoms of Crohn's disease.
What to eat in Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease is a health problem in which there is constant inflammation of the intestine, interfering with the absorption of nutrients. The degree of malabsorption depends on how much the intestine has been affected or whether part of it has already been removed due to the disease.
Therefore, the objective of food in Crohn's disease is to avoid irritation of the intestine and malnutrition, to favor, as far as possible, the absorption of nutrients, to relieve symptoms, to avoid new crises and to improve the person's quality of life through a natural food.
1. Allowed foods
Some foods allowed in the diet are:
- Rice, purees, pasta and potatoes;
- Lean meats, like chicken meat;
- Boiled egg;
- Fish such as sardines, tuna or salmon;
- Cooked vegetables, such as carrots, asparagus and pumpkin;
- Cooked and peeled fruits, such as bananas and apples;
- Dairy products, provided the person is not lactose intolerant;
- Avocado and olive oil.
In addition to consuming these foods, it is recommended to supplement omega 3 to help reduce inflammation, and depending on nutritional risk, some vitamins and minerals such as calcium, folic acid, vitamin B12, iron and vitamins A may also be indicated, D, E and K.
In addition, the use of probiotics and glutamine can also help to improve the functioning of the intestine, however, all these supplements must be prescribed by the doctor or nutritionist.
Some people, in addition to Crohn's disease, have lactose intolerance and / or gluten intolerance, and in these cases, these people should also avoid these foods and, if they do not have these intolerances, it is possible to consume skimmed pasta and dairy products in small portions.
2. Foods to Avoid
Foods that should be avoided because they can irritate the gastrointestinal tract and worsen symptoms are:
- Coffee, black tea, soft drinks with caffeine;
- Seeds;
- Raw vegetables and unpeeled fruits;
- Papaya, orange and plum;
- Honey, sugar, sorbitol or mannitol;
- Dried fruits, such as peanuts, nuts and almonds;
- Oats;
- Chocolate;
- Alcoholic beverages;
- Pork and other fatty meats;
- Shortbread cookies, puff pastry, chocolate;
- Fried foods, gratins, mayonnaise, frozen industrialized meals, butters and sour cream.
These foods are just a few examples that, in most people with Crohn's disease, can worsen the symptoms of the disease, however the foods can vary from one person to another.
Therefore, it is important to identify which foods are related to the worsening of symptoms and to communicate to the nutritionist, in this way it is possible to avoid new crises and nutritional deficiencies, since the food responsible for the symptoms can be exchanged for another with the same nutritional properties.
Watch other feeding tips to control symptoms in the following video:
Crohn's disease menu
The following table indicates a 3-day menu for Crohn's disease:
Meals | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 |
Breakfast | Scrambled egg with toast + strained fruit juice and diluted in water | Rice drink with toast + strained fruit juice diluted in water | Slice of bread with boiled egg + strained fruit juice and diluted in water |
Morning snack | Baked banana with cinnamon | Baked apple without peel and cinnamon | Cooked pear without shell and with cinnamon |
Lunch dinner | Skinless chicken breast with mashed potatoes and diced pumpkin, with a little olive oil. | Grilled salmon with rice and carrot salad with a little olive oil. | Skinless turkey breast with pumpkin puree with boiled carrot and peas salad, with a little olive oil. |
Afternoon snack | Gelatine | Baked banana with cinnamon | Toast with apple jam |
The diet for Crohn's disease varies from person to person because the sensitivity can increase at any time and even the foods that were normally consumed may have to be eliminated from the diet for a period, so it is necessary to adapt the diet according to each patient and counseling with a nutritionist or nutritionist is essential.
Other important recommendations
People with Crohn's disease should eat several small meals during the day, avoiding going too long without eating so that the intestines maintain regular activity. In addition, it is very important to chew your food well to aid in the digestive process, decreasing the chances of intestinal irritation.
In addition, it is important to chew your food well to help with the digestive process and, preferably, in a peaceful environment. Foods that may aggravate symptoms, limit consumption of fiber and foods high in fat should also be avoided.
To reduce the fiber content of fruits and vegetables, you can peel, cook and make it like a puree. Food must be cooked with natural spices, and must be prepared grilled, cooked or in the oven.
As Crohn's disease can cause diarrhea, it is important to maintain hydration by consuming water, coconut water and fruit juice diluted with water and strained to prevent dehydration.
It is important to consult the nutritionist regularly, as it may be necessary to make some dietary changes to avoid malnutrition and alleviate the symptoms of the disease.