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

FAQs

What are the worst foods 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.

Yes, oatmeal is a safe food for most people with Crohn's disease in remission, during a flare, and with active disease. Oats and oatmeal are a great source of soluble fiber making them well tolerated by most people with Crohn's disease.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

“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.

What spices should people with Crohn's avoid? ›

Spicy food can be irritating for some people with Crohn's and worsen their symptoms. Some spices to avoid are cayenne pepper, onions, jalapeños, paprika, garlic, black pepper, wasabi, and chili powder.

Eggs are a source of protein and appear to be well-tolerated by most individuals with Crohn's disease. Scrambled, hard-boiled, or omelets – eggs can be cooked in various different ways to keep things interesting.

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.