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. But pizza can feel like a slice of normalcy. There's a case to be made for enjoying pizza occasionally, if you tolerate it!
Low-fat cheeses such as feta and goat cheese may be a better option, according to the BWH Crohn's & Colitis Center. A review published in January 2021 in Endocrinología, Diabetes y Nutrición reported that two weekly portions of aged cheeses that don't contain lactose can be helpful in an IBD diet.
Fast Food Is an Option
Sometimes, food that can be helpful to a Crohn's flare-up seems counterintuitive. A case in point: fast food. Some research indicates that during a flare-up, people do best with simple foods like white flour, white meat, and cooked potatoes. 4 Many fast food chains offer those in spades.
Spicy or greasy foods, whole grains, high-fiber fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, caffeine, and alcohol can all be harder on your body during a flare-up.
Stay away from foods that are high in fat, including fried foods and greasy foods. A baked or boiled potato is not the same as french fries, home fries, or hash browns to the Crohn's sufferer. Maintain a low-fat diet, and watch out for hidden fats in foods, especially processed, or convenience foods. Read labels.
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.
Avoid highly-seasoned snack crackers or chips and spicy hummus blends that may irritate your stomach and trigger your symptoms.
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.
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.
Avoid high-fiber foods.
Fiber is essential to healthy digestion, but some people with Crohn's disease find that high-fiber foods, such as whole-wheat pasta or bread, and beans and other legumes, like chickpeas and lentils, can cause diarrhea and bloating during flares.
Build-your-own sandwich options are a win for people with Crohn's, especially the turkey breast or tuna sub from Subway. “They're lean protein options, so they're less likely [than higher-fat proteins] to contribute to symptoms,” Leffler says.
Corn chips (especially made in the oven rather than fried ones) are low in fiber and make a great snacking companion. If you can eat gluten, pretzels work well for this too!
Beneficial Foods To Eat With Crohn's
Low-fiber fruits like bananas, cantaloupe, or honeydew. Lean proteins like fish, white meat poultry, soy, or eggs. Refined grains like potato or gluten-free bread, white pasta, or white rice.
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.
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.
Foods to increase in your diet include:
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.
Many protein sources are OK to eat during a flare-up, as long as a person cooks them so that they are tender and easy to cut with a fork. Examples of these foods include: eggs, cooked where the yolk is solid.
Certain foods like whole grain breads, cabbage, onions, and dairy may worsen or trigger Crohn's flares. Healing your gut with targeted diet and lifestyle therapies is more effective for managing Crohn's disease than avoiding specific foods indefinitely.
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.
Soda Just Isn't Good
“The carbonation and artificial sugars are notorious for causing cramps, bloating, and diarrhea.” But Dr. Sultan notes this depends on the patient, as some may drink soda without any problem.
It may be a good idea to avoid lettuce, raw greens, and other high-fiber foods when experiencing a flare-up. If you do incorporate lettuce into your diet, do so after your flare has passed. Eat small amounts and closely monitor your IBD symptoms.
Ways of lowering the fibre in your diet: Choose low fibre cereals such as cornflakes or Rice Crispies® (rather than high fibre cereals such as Bran Flakes®, Shredded Wheat® and Weetabix®).
clevelandclinic.org/nutrition
Eating fish, like salmon and tuna, on a regular basis can help reduce inflammation caused by inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Fish high in omega-3 fats are excellent, high-protein foods to eat during IBD flares as they are typically well tolerated.
Berries Yezaz Ghouri, MD, a gastroenterologist at the University of Missouri Health Care in Columbia, recommends fruits such as strawberries and blueberries because they're easily digestible for people with Crohn's disease. They also exhibit antioxidant activity, which protects your cells against damage.