10 Crohn's Disease Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How to lose belly fat with Crohn's disease? ›

Lower food intake. Lower food intake is a leading cause of weight loss in people with Crohn's. Loss of appetite, which can stem from Crohn's symptoms such as stomach aches, bloating, and nausea, is often the reason for eating less.

Start with soft, bland foods like applesauce, bananas, potatoes, and cooked vegetables. Yogurt, fish, cereals, and low-fiber foods can also help you get the nutrition you need on a Crohn's disease diet without causing irritation. Hydration is good for digestion, so try to drink at least eight cups of fluids per day.

Nuts and seeds

Their sharp edges can be irritating to the lining of your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. “But people often tolerate ground nuts or seeds,” Weekley notes, so consider giving smooth peanut butter, almond butter or sesame tahini a try.

Fruits and vegetables

If raw fruits make your flare-ups worse, try applesauce and bananas. Both are good for you and can fulfill a craving for sweets. In addition to these, the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation recommends raspberries, squashes, green beans, and cooked and blended fruits and vegetables.

Crohn's disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It causes swelling of the tissues (inflammation) in your digestive tract, which can lead to abdominal pain, severe diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss and malnutrition.

Lisa Simon, RD, a registered dietitian in London, says there's a wide variety of healthy fats and we should encourage more people with Crohn's disease to eat foods such as avocados, nuts and seeds (unless your doctor says to be careful with these because of strictures), tahini, and extra-virgin olive oil.

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.

Toasted bread or a bagel made with refined white flour are good for breakfast or as a sandwich base. Look for brands with 2 grams of fiber or less per serving. Low-fiber grains are easier to digest when you have Crohn's. Spread on smooth, creamy peanut or almond butter for extra protein.

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.

If you are a fan of nuts, Crohn's disease will come between this love, as they are another food to avoid this condition. The high protein in nuts causes flare-ups in those with the disease and are often hard to digest. Foods with seeds, like strawberries, are also on the list to swap out in your diet.

Is Pizza OK for Crohn's? ›

“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.

Potatoes. These starchy veggies can be a lifesaver during a Crohn's flare-up. Just be sure you avoid potato skins, as they are high in fiber and may cause digestive distress. Bake or roast white or sweet potatoes and scoop out the middle for a simple, delicious meal that won't leave you feeling under the weather.

While doctors encourage most people to include plenty of high-fiber foods in their diet, the Crohn's sufferer should limit fiber intake to refined breads and pastas, low-fiber cereals, and fruits and vegetables that are easy to digest. This is especially true during a Crohn's flare up.

Crohn's disease is not typically life threatening, but it can increase the risk of severe complications, such as colon cancer and toxic megacolon. Treatment can help reduce these risks. Crohn's disease is a long-term condition and a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

While people with Crohn's are more likely to struggle with weight loss than gain, unwanted additional pounds do happen. Dr. Chiplunker points certain medications as the primary culprit. “Prednisone is the biggest offender for causing weight gain in Crohn's disease,” she says.

Eat slowly and chew your food well. Avoid certain foods that could produce gas, such as beans, onions, cauliflower, whole grains, eggs, high fat foods, sugary or refined foods, spicy food, high-fibre foods, or raw vegetables. Cook vegetables to break down the fibres, which helps in digestion, reducing bloating and gas.

During the course of Crohn's disease, the response of mesenteric adipose tissue to the production of inflammatory mediators and bacterial invasion through the intestinal mucosa results in the formation of creeping fat. Creeping fat describes the arresting finger-like projections that surround the inflamed bowel.

Staying hydrated when you live with Crohn's is important. Every cell in your body needs water to function properly. Dehydration — when your body doesn't have enough water — can negatively affect your mental and physical health.