More than 400,000 people in Germany suffer from chronic inflammatory bowel disease (CED), which includes Crohn’s disease. In this disease, the immune system attacks the patient’s own digestive tract, causing inflammation in the stomach and intestines. Crohn’s disease progresses in episodes and is not yet curable. Are there any special features that Crohn’s disease sufferers should be aware of when eating?
Balanced diet in Crohn’s disease central
In addition to disease-related symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhea, many patients also struggle with malnutrition and underweight. On the one hand, this results from a general lack of appetite, which is one of the symptoms of the disease; on the other hand, many patients also fear intolerances and eat a relatively one-sided diet to avoid diarrhea and vomiting. However, a balanced, thoughtful diet is enormously important, especially in chronic inflammatory bowel disease.
Diet tips for Crohn’s disease
Anyone suffering from a CED such as Crohn’s disease should follow these tips when it comes to diet:
- In general, patients with inflammatory bowel disease should take care to eat slowly and deliberately, chewing each bite for a long time. In this way, the work of the intestine is facilitated.
- Many small meals are better than a few large ones that can overwhelm the digestive tract.
- In addition, the food should not be very hot or ice cold on the table, because this can irritate the intestines and cause diarrhea. Likewise, it behaves with very spicy, strongly flavored food.
- A calm, friendly atmosphere usually also ensures a stomach-friendly, slow eating behavior. So on a working day, it is recommended for people with Crohn’s disease, rather to go with a nice colleague in a cozy restaurant, rather than quickly rush to the canteen or stand-up snack.
Diet in Crohn’s disease: acute relapse.
In Crohn’s disease, a relapse is usually accompanied by three to six weeks of diarrhea without blood and severe pain in the right abdomen. The diarrhea causes the body to lose a lot of fluids and nutrients, so it is essential to increase their supply. Even if it seems tempting to reduce food and drink to a minimum in order to avoid the unpleasant diarrhea, this is the wrong way. Instead, patients should drink more fluids than usual, especially during an episode, so that the body does not become dehydrated. Non-carbonated water or herbal tea are suitable for this purpose. Fruit juices, coffee and black tea are less recommended. In order to supply the body with sufficient nutrients and at the same time not to overload the digestive tract, only easily digestible foods should be eaten during the acute phase. These include, for example:
- Pureed fruit
- Boiled or steamed vegetables
- Potatoes
- Soy products
Dairy products, sweets, high-fat pastries such as cakes or fat baked goods, soft drinks and alcohol, on the other hand, you should eliminate from the menu.
Diet in Crohn’s disease: severe, acute relapse.
In severe relapses, it may help to reduce the diet exclusively to soups and porridges. In extreme cases, astronaut food or artificial feeding via a tube or IV may also be considered to relieve the overtaxed gastrointestinal tract.
Nutrition in Crohn’s disease: remission phase.
In the phases between episodes of the disease, Crohn’s disease patients should take care to make up for the nutrient and fluid losses they have suffered due to persistent diarrhea during the acute phases. Foods rich in fiber are primarily suitable for this purpose. These include, for example:
- Finely ground whole grains
- Steamed or pureed fruits and vegetables (for example, bananas).
- Rice
- Oats
- Potatoes
Less well tolerated are wheat, milk, corn and yeast.
Checking for lactose and fructose intolerance recommended.
Many people who have Crohn’s disease also suffer from lactose intolerance or fructose intolerance at the same time. A medical examination for possible intolerances is therefore recommended in order to avoid the foods in question in the future and to relieve the already strained digestive tract.
Tolerance of food may vary
Often, the way a food is prepared determines how well it can be tolerated. Here are some tips on what to look for:
- In general, vegetables should be cooked or steamed if possible, fruit peeled and pureed, as these foods are difficult to digest raw and can have a laxative effect.
- For dairy products, sour milk products such as yogurt or buttermilk are better tolerated than cheese, cream or sweet fruit yogurts.
- Eggs can help ensure an adequate supply of protein. Soft-boiled eggs are thereby better tolerated than hard-boiled.
- For meat and sausage, lean products are usually better tolerated than fatty, cured or smoked meat.
How well certain foods are tolerated can vary greatly from person to person. Therefore, people with Crohn’s disease is recommended to keep a food diary and note in it which foods have caused discomfort and which have not, so that in the long term an individual diet plan can be created.
