Crohn’s Disease Diet: How to deal with it?

If you have Crohn’s disease, you know how awful a flare-up can be. Symptoms like stomach pain, cramping and diarrhea make you feel miserable and put a damper on your plans. Could your diet be contributing to your symptoms? A burger or bowl of ice cream is not likely to cause a flare-up. If you are actively dealing with symptoms though, the foods you choose might make things worse. There is not a specific diet for Crohn’s disease. There are some usual suspects you might want to avoid when your gut is giving you grief. You should not try to manage the disease with food alone. But if you are having a flare-up, these are some foods you might want to avoid when trying to follow a Crohn’s disease diet.

Crohn’s disease diet: Foods to avoid

As you know, Crohn's is a Full-Body Disease. Let us find out which foods we should avoid in it. 

High-fiber fruits and vegetables

Some people think they cannot eat vegetables with a Crohn’s disease diet, and that is not true. But you do have to be careful during a flare. Aim for cooked veggies rather than raw to avoid irritating your gut. And avoid fruits and vegetables with skins and seeds intact. Many people find that bananas or canned pears are gentler than an apple or bowl of raspberries, for instance. Also steer clear of gassy veggies like broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts. They are high in fiber and gas-producing, kind of a double whammy.

Beans

Beans are a wonderfully nutritious food when you are feeling good. But during a flare, their high fiber content and tendency to cause gas is a lose-lose situation. Keep reading for more foods to avoid for a Crohn’s disease diet.

Whole grains

The high amounts of fiber in foods like whole-grain bread, whole-wheat pasta, popcorn and bran can cause a lot of traffic through the gastrointestinal tract. That can be irritating to someone experiencing a Crohn’s flare.

Alcohol and caffeine

Alcohol can be irritating to anyone’s GI tract, especially people who are already experiencing stomach symptoms. That goes for all types of drinks. Beer, wine and liquor are not great choices if you are having symptoms. Caffeinated drinks, too, can be a problem. Caffeine increases the wave-like motion of the GI tract, which is what propels waste through the system. If you tend to have diarrhea with your Crohn’s flare, caffeine is not your friend.

Sweeteners

Sugary drinks like soda, fruit juice and lemonade can also cause more diarrhea when you are having a flare-up. So-called “sugar alcohols” are also a problem. These are sweeteners used in sugarless gum, candy and some drinks. They go by names like xylitol, sorbitol and maltitol, which are listed on the nutrition facts label. “In many people, these ingredients are poorly absorbed, which can cause gas, bloating and diarrhea. To know more about it, read How I Managed Constant Bloating and Low Energy?

Greasy, fatty foods

It is hard for your body to deal with the amount of fat in fast food and other greasy, fatty foods like sausage or salami. Save the drive-through for another day when following a Crohn’s disease diet.

Related articles: 

• Living With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: What Helped Me Feel Better
• Are There Dietary Changes That Can Help Manage Ulcerative Colitis?

Pain Free Foods Approach to a Crohn’s Disease Diet

Here at Pain Free Foods, we know just the way to follow a Crohn’s disease diet. We believe over production of acid (and bad food combinations) may well be what is causing your Crohn’s disease mismanagement and flare ups. Could avoiding five “trigger foods” and “catalyst food” mixes be the solution? Here at Pain Free Foods, we are confident that it is.  We know you are here because you want to find out how to stop a Crohn’s flare up or if you think you have a flare up coming on.

Preventing Inflammation Through Better Food Choices

We believe that the inflammation that leads to Crohn’s disease flare ups is completely preventable and reversible when we stop eating in a way that causes the inflammation in the first place. I do not call this a cure but rather, an “elimination of symptoms.” If you would like to start your journey to better digestive health, please join us, we have helped hundreds of thousands just like you who are suffering and in pain.  Along with our diet plan, we have specially formulated herbal tea and some of the highest quality probiotics on the market! Please check out our website for more information on how you can start eliminating your symptoms today! Hopefully, after finding us, you will never have to be in pain over a Crohn’s disease flare up ever again.  We want you to get your quality of life back!