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.
Sourdough bread is typically made of flour, water, and salt. It often involves a long fermentation process, which can make it much easier to digest. This may make it especially beneficial for people living with IBD.
Avoid brown rice, wild rice, or rice pilaf. Use sourdough bread for toast or, if you don't eat gluten, look for white bread style gluten-free loaves. Hot cereals, such as Cream of Wheat, may work well. Simply prepared packets of oatmeal are approved if you tolerate them.
Studies suggest certain insoluble fibers can worsen IBD symptoms. As refined grains have less insoluble fiber than whole grains, they tend to pass more quickly and easily through the digestive tract and are less likely to cause inflammation. Examples of refined grains include: white bread.
Doctors will often recommend that people with Crohn's disease keep a food journal of everything they eat and in what amounts. A person can list the symptoms — if any — they experience after eating certain foods. Common foods that may worsen symptoms include spicy foods, dairy products, alcohol, and high fiber grains.
Don't: Whole Grains
Whole-grain breads or high-fiber cereals like bran flakes have many health benefits. But they can be hard to digest. Popcorn is another high-fiber grain snack you should try to avoid. These grains are high in fiber, so they trigger Crohn's symptoms like diarrhea, gas, and stomach pain.
Probiotic foods like yogurt, kefir, aged cheeses, miso and real sourdough bread can help maintain a healthy gut microbiome, something that is altered in Crohn's disease.
Cheese lovers with Crohn's disease have options. “Natural cheeses may contain some beneficial bacteria, so we don't want to demonize cheese or dairy. It can be really helpful for fighting diseases and a healthy part of the diet for someone with Crohn's disease,” Medlin says.
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.
Butter, margarine, heavy cream and fried foods are particularly important to avoid. You should also limit dairy, as many people with Crohn's disease find that their symptoms improve when they reduce or eliminate dairy from their diet.
Refined grains, such as the grains found in white bread and white pasta, are known to increase inflammation across the whole body. Sourdough bread and rye bread are both good options for an anti-inflammatory diet.
The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation recommends hummus for people with Crohn's disease on a low-fat diet. Snack on dark chocolate. If you have a sweet tooth, you may be happy to know that eating dark chocolate is recommended for Crohn's disease.
"Let's talk about my favorite bread for digestion and gut health: Sourdough bread. Sourdough is incredible because these microbes are transforming the flour," Dr. Bulsiewicz explains in the Instagram Reel, referring to the way the wild yeasts react with the flour and water in the sourdough starter.
Short answer: yes, if tolerated! Pizza is a food that can be categorized into the Western Diet, which research has linked to the increased prevalence of IBD.
Opt for mango and banana during a Crohn's flare, and skip berries with seeds, which might irritate your digestive tract, but feel free to include blueberries. Fluids also keep you hydrated.
Although there's no firm evidence that any particular foods cause Crohn's disease, certain things seem to aggravate flare-ups. So a food diary can help you identify personal triggers. Beyond that, limit dairy products, eating smaller meals, stay hydrated, and try to avoid caffeine, alcohol, and carbonation.
Since protein needs increase during active disease, it's also helpful to focus on consuming protein-containing foods throughout the day. Some examples of foods containing protein are chicken, tofu, fish, turkey, eggs, yogurt, beans, chia seeds, and nut butters.
To help your body digest fibrous foods during a flare, the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation (CCF) recommends avoiding the skins of fruits and vegetables; raw produce, especially cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower; and high-fiber whole grains, and opt for low-fiber fruits such as bananas and melons.
Choose foods with soluble (soft) fibre and temporarily restrict your intake of insoluble (tough) fibre to promote mucosal healing and prevent irritation and symptoms that occur with an inflamed gut lining. Foods rich in prebiotic fibres (e.g., bananas, oatmeal) may also help to reduce inflammation.
Over-the-Counter Medication
A group of medications known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) — incuding ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) and high-dose aspirin — are helpful in relieving body pain by blocking the production of inflammation.
Herbal Teas May Soothe the Digestive System
That's because even low-caffeine tea like white tea may cause symptoms. Green tea has anti-inflammatory properties, but can still stimulate the gut because of its caffeine content, she says. “I typically recommend herbal teas to Crohn's patients,” she says.