Some people may live to eat but people with Crohn’s disease must be very careful about what they consume and avoid food that triggers their symptoms. While it is a difficult situation to be in, there is always a solution as patients of Crohn’s disease can follow a specific diet plan to help them avoid alleviating the reactions of the condition and consume foods that are appealing to their taste buds and safe for their medical condition.
What is Crohn’s disease?
Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease which results in an immune reaction against the intestinal tract. Patients of Crohn’s disease often have a hard time digesting and absorbing nutrients from food because their small intestine is inflamed. The lack of nutrient intake coupled with a lack of appetite can result in problems for Crohn’s disease patients which includes malnutrition.
If the disease is limited to the small intestine, the patients may suffer from diarrhea. However, if the disease also affects the large intestine, the diarrhea can be really severe. Severe diarrhea and malnutrition both can lead to further medical problems including conditions such as anemia and deficiencies in Vitamin B12, folic acid, or iron.
Being underweight and being unable to appropriately manage a nutritional intake is often a problem for people with Crohn’s disease, even children. Moreover, symptoms also include stomach cramps, fever and fatigue, mouth sores, and blood in your stool amongst others.
However, following a nutritional plan can help patients avoid the problems associated with the condition and manage their weight well. Here is what you should and should not consume if you have Crohn’s disease.
Avoid trigger foods
Every person’s digestive system is different and that obviously also applies to people with Crohn’s disease as some foods may trigger their symptoms and other foods may not. Accordingly, trigger foods may vary from person to person and it is best for people with Crohn’s disease to avoid consuming their trigger foods.
While there is an endless list of different foods that may cause the symptoms of the disease to accelerate, some of the foods include alcohol, mayonnaise, butter, margarine, coffee, tea, chocolate, fried foods, beans, lentils, cabbage, broccoli, onions, high-fiber foods, spicy food, whole grains and bran, red meat and pork, dairy products if the patient is lactose intolerant, and nuts and seeds.
However, not all of these foods will affect every patient and patients must determine which foods are more of a problem for their symptoms and avoid them accordingly.
Have eggs
Eggs are an amazing source of protein and can be cooked any way you want. Adding eggs to your diet will provide you with the nutrition you need and also give you a scrumptious meal that is both inexpensive and safe.
You can scramble your eggs, hard-boil them, or soft-cook them. Add some toast and you are all set for a healthy meal that is not likely to cause you any discomfort later on. However, as mentioned before, not all digestive systems are the same and what suits one patient of Crohn’s disease may not suit another.
Hence, you need to test and try different foods to see what suits you. Eggs are one of your best bets to stay healthy and well-nourished but try preparing them different ways to ensure that a particular method does not aggravate your symptoms. For example, adding butter to your eggs or frying them may be problematic for some patients of Crohn’s disease while it may not be for others.
Make it fishy
You may have to avoid red meat and pork and may also not be able to consume other forms of meat to your liking. However, fish and seafood need not be checked off your food list. Fish is another nutrient that is essential for a healthy diet.
According to doctors, 25% of your consumed calories should consist of protein, which is why your diet should definitely include fish. Choose forms of lean protein which include seafood and fish types that are high in omega-3s. Try salmon, shrimp, and white fish as they are highly nutritious and most likely would not cause digestive problems.
How can you prepare your seafood?
You can steam it, broil it, or grill it but avoid deep-frying as that may cause digestive problems and trigger your symptoms. Fish is the perfect nutritious food that you can eat yourself and also serve to friends who are visiting for lunch or dinner without feeling left out.
Not all fruit is off limits
Most people with Crohn’s disease avoid consuming fruit as they think it may trigger their symptoms. However, there is no need to devoid your diet of all types of fruit as you may be craving a few pieces here and there, especially after dinner or lunch.
In fact, you may want to take some fruit as a snack or even add some to your breakfast plate. Patients of Crohn’s disease can consume tropical fruits such as bananas and can even opt for mangoes and papaya as they are both very soft and easily digestible. Cantaloupe can also be on your grocery list and is a wonderful source of nutrition.
Papaya is highly beneficial and rich in nutrients as it contains papain, an enzyme that helps digest proteins. The fruit also has a lot of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, folate and potassium and the best part is that it is available all year. Hence, patients of Crohn’s disease do have choices and it is best to make the most of them!
The foods listed in this article are most likely to suit most patients with Crohn’s disease but not all as it is imperative for patients to consult with their doctor to determine which ones will suit them best and which may flare up their condition. It is also absolutely essential for all patients to maintain a healthy diet and avoid malnutrition as that only causes further problems.
Author Bio
Audrey Throne is a blogger by choice and profession. She loves to read and write about different aspects related to technology, fitness, health and medical. She is currently working as a blogger for www.braintest.com, providing dementia testing online.
Find her on Twitter: @audrey_throne.
