13 Healthy Recipes for Crohn's Disease - TheDiabetesCouncil.com (2024)

FAQs

What's the worst food for Crohn's? ›

Certain foods can trigger flares and make symptoms of Crohn's disease worse. A few foods to avoid with colitis or Crohn's disease include fatty meats, bananas or persimmon, kefir or cow's milk, and garlic. Here's what else to know about Crohn's disease and foods to eat more of or stay away from.

Do: Eggs. They're a quick, easy-to-digest breakfast choice. And they're a good source of high-quality protein. If you like them fried or scrambled, go light on fats like butter or oil.

Fruits: bananas, raspberries, applesauce, blended fruit. Vegetables: squashes, fork-tender cooked carrots, green beans. Foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids: fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, etc.), walnut butter, chia seeds, flaxseed oil, flaxseed meal.

Iceberg and butter lettuce — These soft, light green lettuces are considered safe in small amounts for most people with Crohn's. They are low in fiber and high in water content. When you are in remission, slowly introduce butter lettuce or other soft greens into your diet for valuable nutrition.

What foods calm Crohn's disease? Eating foods that are low in fiber and high in protein may help you stay full and well-nourished during a Crohn's flare-up. These may include eggs, chicken, tofu, white bread, bananas, some nut butters, and yogurt, among others.

She suggests combining them with yogurt or nut butter — peanut butter is usually easy on the gastrointestinal system — for some protein, additional calories, and a more satisfying, filling snack.

For many people with Crohn's, greasy foods will upset the digestive tract, so stay away from fatty cuts of meat like rib eye, pulled pork, beef brisket, fatty burgers, pork sausage, hot dogs, and bacon, advises the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation. Anything grilled, baked, or broiled is a great bet.

Lean Protein

For that reason, maintaining adequate protein intake is crucial to help your body bounce back. Fatty meats such as high fat red meat, fried meats, oily/greasy proteins may worsen symptoms during active disease. Instead, stock up on skinless, white-meat chicken or turkey; eggs; fish; and tofu.

It's important to remember that IBD affects everyone differently, so some individuals may be able to eat foods like potato chips while others experience symptoms of a flare.

Can you eat mashed potatoes with Crohn's disease? ›

Mashed potatoes can be great to eat during a Crohn's flare-up. They contain potassium and can be either baked or broiled. Skim milk can substitute traditional dairy milk when preparing for added precaution. Try pairing skinless potatoes with salmon to make a great meal that the whole family can enjoy!

Tomatoes. Fruit with skin has already been mentioned in this list, which suggests that tomatoes are likely to be a problem, but the other reason they are not advised for Crohn's patients is the seeds. Seeds, like nuts, are very difficult to digest, and will aggravate the colon in the same way.

Many people with Crohn's disease find that one or more of the foods on the following list aggravate symptoms during disease flares. It's possible that at least some of these listed foods will trigger your symptoms: Alcohol (mixed drinks, beer, wine) Butter, mayonnaise, margarine, oils.

Grains give us carbs and energy, and while the healthier option is usually whole grains, but high fiber foods aren't an excellent choice for Crohn's disease diets. Instead, supplement with white bread, white rice, and pasta. These choices have “low-residue” meaning there's less “scrap” to irritate the bowels.

“It's all about helping people feel better through food,” says Lippman. When Lippman isn't working, there's a good chance he's cooking. There are still foods he avoids to keep his Crohn's in check, including popcorn, beef, tomatoes, alcohol, and, yes, pizza. “Pizza is kind of my white whale,” he says.