Diet in Crohn’s disease

Over 400,000 people in Germany suffer from chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which also  includes Crohn’s disease  . In this disease, the immune system attacks its own digestive tract, causing inflammation in the stomach and intestines. Crohn’s disease occurs in phases and is not yet curable. Are there any particularities that sufferers of Crohn’s disease should consider when eating?

Balanced diet in Crohn’s disease

In addition to illness-related symptoms such as abdominal pain and  diarrhea  , many patients also  struggle with malnutrition and being underweight  . On the one hand, this results from a general loss of appetite, which is one of the symptoms of the disease, and on the other hand, many patients are afraid of intolerance and eat a relatively unbalanced diet to avoid diarrhea and vomiting.

However, a  balanced, thoughtful diet  is extremely important, especially in the case of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases.

Diet tips for Crohn’s disease

Anyone suffering from IBD such as Crohn’s disease should observe the following tips when it comes to nutrition:

1. In general, patients with chronic inflammatory bowel disease should eat slowly and consciously and chew each bite for a long time. In this way, the work of the intestine is made easier.
2. Many small meals are better than a few large ones, which can overwhelm the digestive tract.
3. In addition, the food should not be served very hot or ice cold, as this can irritate the intestines and lead to diarrhea. The same applies to very hot, heavily seasoned foods.
4. A quiet, friendly atmosphere usually also ensures a stomach-friendly, slow eating behavior. On a working day, it is therefore advisable for people with Crohn’s disease to go to a cozy restaurant with a nice colleague rather than rushing to the canteen or the stand-up snack bar.

Diet in Crohn’s disease: acute flare-up

In Crohn’s disease, an attack is usually accompanied by diarrhea that lasts three to six weeks without blood and severe pain in the right abdomen. Due to the diarrhea, the body loses a lot of liquid and  nutrients , which must therefore be supplied to it in increased amounts. While it may be tempting to cut back on food and drink to avoid the nasty diarrhea, it’s not the way to go.

Rather, patients should   drink more fluids than usual , especially during an attack, so that the body does not dry out. Serve with non-carbonated water or herbal tea. Fruit juices, coffee  and black tea are less recommended  .

In order to provide the body with sufficient nutrients and at the same time not to overwhelm the digestive tract, only  easily digestible foods  should be eaten during the acute phase. These include, for example:

• pureed fruit
• boiled or stewed vegetables
• potatoes
• Soy products

Dairy products, sweets, high-fat pastries such as cakes or pastries,  soft drinks  and alcohol should be removed from the menu.

Diet in Crohn’s disease: severe, acute attack

In the case of severe flare-ups, reducing your diet to just soups and porridges can help. In extreme cases, astronaut food or artificial nutrition via a tube or infusion is also conceivable to relieve the overstrained gastrointestinal tract.

Diet in Crohn’s disease: remission phase

In the phases between the flare-ups of the disease, Crohn’s disease patients should make sure to compensate for the nutrient and fluid losses that they suffered from the ongoing diarrhea in the acute phases. Foods rich in fiber are primarily   suitable for this purpose. These include, for example:

• finely ground whole grain
• Steamed or pureed fruits and vegetables (e.g. bananas)
• Reis
• Oats
• potatoes

Wheat, milk ,  corn  and yeast are less well tolerated  .

Checking for lactose and fructose intolerance recommended

Many people who suffer from Crohn’s disease also suffer from  lactose intolerance  or fructose intolerance. 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.

Food tolerance may vary

The type of preparation is often decisive for the tolerability of a food. Here are some tips on what to look out for:

• In general, vegetables should be cooked or steamed, and fruit should be peeled and pureed, as these foods are difficult to digest raw and can have a laxative effect.
• When it comes to dairy products, sour milk products such as yoghurt or buttermilk are better tolerated than cheese, cream or sweet fruit yoghurts.
• Eggs can help ensure an adequate supply of protein. Soft-boiled eggs are better tolerated than hard-boiled ones.
• When it comes to meat and sausage, lean products are generally better tolerated than fatty, cured or smoked meat.

How well certain foods are tolerated can vary greatly from person to person. It is therefore recommended for people with Crohn’s disease to keep a food diary and to note which foods have caused symptoms and which have not, in order to be able to create an individual nutrition plan  over the long term  .