Ulcerative colitis - diet and nutrition. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis: Basics of proper nutrition during exacerbation and remission Zucchini and cauliflower soup with fish meatballs

Ulcerative colitis is a disease of the digestive tract, which is characterized by the development of an inflammatory process and the further formation of ulcerative defects in the mucous membrane of the colon. According to statistical data, UC occurs in 5% of the population, and women are affected twice as often as men.

The symptoms of this disease directly depend not only on the stage of its development, but also on the form (acute or chronic). Signs of the acute phase of ulcerative colitis are manifested in impaired stool formation, increased body temperature, painful sensations in the abdomen, etc. In contrast, the chronic course of the disease has more subtle symptoms, the main symptom of which is constipation, indicating the development of an inflammatory reaction in the intestines.

Following a diet when ulcerative colitis occurs is aimed at maintaining the functioning of the digestive system and its excretory function. In addition, proper nutrition in a short period will allow you to restore the normal state of the colon mucosa and prevent relapses of the formation of ulcerative defects.

Diet for ulcerative colitis

For patients with a history of UC, therapeutic nutritional adjustments are prescribed only after undergoing diagnosis and consultation with a gastroenterologist who was previously familiar with the patient’s condition. The diet of people suffering from ulcerative colitis should be enriched with foods high in protein, but in contrast, the amount of fat and plant fiber should be reduced as much as possible. In the acute phase of the disease, preference should be given to boiled chicken breast and low-fat cottage cheese, since these products contain sufficient protein per 100 g and a low amount of fat and carbohydrates.

It is worth noting that nutrition for each patient should be selected strictly individually, since the required daily calorie content of foods directly depends on the patient’s body mass index and physical activity.

The main principle of therapeutic nutrition is fractionation. In order for the functioning of the intestines to return to normal, it is necessary to eat at least 4-6 times a day. If the principle of fractional nutrition is observed, portions should be small and balanced. The optimal amount of food per meal is 300-350 ml.

If the patient has a good appetite, then this is certainly good, but if the disease worsens, it is necessary to try to relieve the intestines as much as possible, and following a diet does an excellent job of this task.

List of foods included in the diet for UC

Treatment through diet for ulcerative colitis is a generally accepted measure. As a rule, most patients are prescribed to follow dietary table No. 4 according to Pevzner with individual adjustments. The main purpose of prescribing dietary nutrition is to reduce fermentation processes within the body.

If all the doctor’s instructions are correctly followed, the first improvements in the patient’s well-being will appear within 5-7 days.

The main conditions for recovery are:

  • eating only approved products;
  • application of the principle of fractional nutrition;
  • adjusting the calorie content of foods consumed throughout the day (preference should be given to protein foods);
  • reduction of carbohydrates and fats in food;
  • adherence to correct food preparation technology;
  • eating food at room temperature.

Practice shows that if the patient’s actions comply with the above instructions, then the result will not be long in coming and digestion will be able to be established within the first week. In addition, for patients who are overweight, such nutrition will help get rid of several unnecessary kilograms.

When following a diet, you can include the following foods in your diet:

  1. Lean varieties of poultry (chicken breast) and fish; boiled rabbit, veal or beef are also allowed in small quantities.
  2. No more than one chicken egg per day. In the acute phase of the disease, it is recommended to consume only egg whites and discard the yolk. Eating fried eggs is strictly prohibited!
  3. No more than 100 grams of rye bread per day.
  4. Low-fat fermented milk products: cottage cheese, kefir, yoghurts without fillers, whole milk. You can make puddings based on dairy products.
  5. Vegetable puree made from boiled vegetables.
  6. Semolina, rice, buckwheat and oatmeal, which can be used to make all kinds of puddings.
  7. Baked fruit instead of desserts. Baked apples with honey are the best alternative to all sweets while strictly following a diet. You can also drink drinks made from fruits that do not increase the acidity of gastric juice.
  8. For drinks, it is best to give preference to herbal teas and non-carbonated water.

The main thing is to monitor the temperature of the food and the method of its preparation, since it is not for nothing that a lot of attention is focused on the fact that food must be boiled or steamed.

Products that you should avoid eating

It is natural that following a diet involves introducing some restrictions into your diet. That is why, to improve the condition of the digestive tract, it is necessary to abandon:

  • flour products: spaghetti, pastries, cakes and other sweets;
  • broths prepared with fatty meat;
  • fatty meats and fish;
  • canned foods;
  • fatty dairy products and eggs, fried and raw;
  • pearl barley, wheat and barley;
  • any snacks;
  • smoked meat and cheese;
  • chocolates and caramels;
  • dried fruits;
  • preserves and jams;
  • fatty sauces;
  • excessive addition of spices to food;
  • alcoholic drinks.

It is best to avoid the above list of products not only during the period of exacerbation of the disease, but also during its remission during the chronic course of ulcerative colitis. When the patient’s well-being improves, only the attending physician can make any adjustments to the diet, making it less strict.
If you have ulcerative colitis, you must follow a strict diet, the main point of which is complete abstinence from alcohol. Alcoholic drinks can not only worsen the patient’s condition, but also aggravate the course of the disease. It is also necessary to remember that fried and fatty foods can trigger a relapse of the disease, so their consumption must be avoided completely.

It is necessary to adhere to the prescribed diet until the etiology of ulcerative colitis is established and it is completely cured and all symptoms are eliminated.

Principles of diet for ulcerative colitis with constipation

In chronic crown UC, constipation is a fairly common manifestation of this disease, so in addition to protein foods, the diet must be enriched with fiber, which is found in absolutely all fruits and vegetables. The patient’s diet should include fermented milk products, low-calorie fruits, cereals, vegetable broth soups and small amounts of butter.

All dishes must be chopped and served only boiled. By following these principles, in a short period it is possible to significantly reduce the load on the gastrointestinal tract and normalize the digestion process. If the diet is followed correctly, the patient will not only be able to get rid of constipation, but also prevent subsequent relapses of the disease.

The main taboo in the presence of constipation is the consumption of not only spicy, fried, smoked and too salty foods, but also any foods that activate the fermentation process in the stomach and intestines.

Nutritional features during the development of ulcerative colitis

Of course, the fundamental role in choosing a diet is played by the opinion of a doctor who specializes in developing nutritional systems for gastroenterological patients. When choosing a diet, specialists are guided by information about what stage the disease is at, how it progressed previously, and what degree of intestinal damage is currently present. If the diet was chosen correctly, then after the first week of following it the patient’s condition will improve significantly.

During treatment by adjusting the diet, the patient should remember the following rules:

  • fried foods are vetoed; absolutely all food must be steamed or boiled;
  • the food temperature should be as close to room temperature as possible, since too cold or hot food negatively affects the digestion process;
  • the most high-calorie dishes present in the diet should be consumed before 12 noon;
  • the main principle of nutrition should be fractionation, which is why the number of meals should range from 5 to 6 times a day;
  • 3-4 hours before bedtime you must refuse food;
  • it is necessary to constantly adjust food portions and try not to eat all daily ration at a time after returning from work/study;
  • the amount of protein in a person’s diet should be from 2-2.5 g per kg of person’s weight;
  • products must be selected carefully, constantly paying attention to their quality and naturalness.

The main thing is to remember that if you follow all the rules prescribed by your doctor, you can significantly improve your own well-being and normalize the functioning of your digestive tract in a short period of time. You just need to want it!

Intestinal colitis is a disease. Presuming inflammatory-dystrophic damage to the walls of the large intestine. Depending on the extent to which the intestine is affected and in which area the inflammation is localized, there are several types of colitis. So what are the features of the diet for colitis, in particular, is it possible to have yogurt for colitis and what prohibitions must be remembered by all patients with this disease without exception?

Yogurt for colitis

There may be several answers to the question of whether yogurt can be used for colitis. The fact is that if we are talking about natural low-fat yogurt, then the answer to the question will be definitely positive. Homemade yogurt, which is fermented with Bulgarian bacillus in combination with streptococcal strains, will be especially useful. In addition, it is also advisable to use skim milk powder in its preparation, due to which an increase in the protein content in the finished product by approximately 5% is achieved.

When choosing yogurt for colitis, it is best to give preference to natural and low-fat options. In some cases, you can even take those that contain fruit and berry filler, but in this case you need to proceed from the characteristics of a particular case, the symptoms of colitis and the body’s reaction to certain fruits.

But the modern food industry offers a very wide variety of yoghurts, and not all of them are natural. Here's the answer to the question. Is it possible to have yogurt for colitis? It will be completely different. Indeed, today on the shelves it is not natural yoghurts that are increasingly found, but products containing large quantities of all kinds of additives, including stabilizers, dyes, taste improvers, flavorings and many others. Not only will they not be useful for patients with colitis, but they can also lead to a significant deterioration in the patient’s condition, which must be remembered when choosing products for the patient’s menu. In addition, attention should be paid to the fat content of the finished product: yoghurts with high fat content will also be the least healthy, even if they are of natural origin and do not contain dangerous additives.

Also, other dairy products will be useful for colitis, in particular, diluted goat’s milk (which is necessary due to its high fat content), curdled milk, mild cheese, sour cream, etc.

It is equally important to follow the basic principles of nutrition for colitis, namely, to include in the diet a sufficient amount of permitted vegetables in baked, stewed or boiled form, as well as grains, with the exception of bran. Many fruits will also be beneficial.

But you will definitely have to give up marinades, spices, smoked meats and marinades, along with alcohol, any fried and fatty foods. You should also avoid excessively cold and hot foods. It is advisable to avoid the presence of sick foods and foods that irritate the intestinal wall such as coffee, mushrooms, cakes and pasta on the menu.

Ulcerative lesions of the intestine contribute to inhibition of nutrient absorption processes and disruption of metabolic processes

A diet for ulcerative colitis is prescribed to reduce intestinal motility during an exacerbation, reducing the digestive load on the gastrointestinal tract as a whole. The diet completely excludes foods that can injure the mucous membranes of the intestines and stomach, and contribute to even greater ulceration of the epithelial tissue.

The course of the disease largely depends on the nature of the diet. If a healthy diet and all doctor’s recommendations are not followed, pathological inflammation is difficult to treat, the intestinal mucous membranes are difficult to restore, and the pathological process becomes generalized.

Nutrition for nonspecific ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis (otherwise known as ulcerative colitis) is a chronic inflammation of the mucosal epithelium lining the large intestine. Among the predisposing causes, hereditary predisposition and the influence of various negative factors are especially distinguished. The disease occurs in 100 people per 100,000 population of the planet (i.e. 0.1-0.2% of the population).

The pathology is accompanied by internal bleeding, pain during defecation, changes and disturbances in stool, along with the formation of ulcerative-erosive lesions. During the period of exacerbation of the disease, patients are recommended to remain in the hospital. In the first days of exacerbation of ulcerative colitis, therapeutic fasting is prescribed with drinking jelly, low-fat broths, warm water or decoctions of medicinal herbs and berries.

After 3 days, the patient is transferred to treatment table No. 4. As their general condition improves, patients can move to table No. 4b or 4c. Each transition in nutrition and change of diet must be agreed upon with the treating specialist.

The principle of dietary nutrition for nonspecific ulcerative colitis is based on a sharp reduction in calories by reducing daily carbohydrates and fats. Reducing caloric intake during illness requires mandatory bed rest, so the total duration of diet therapy does not exceed 5-7 days. Afterwards, patients switch to a more nutritious diet.

Note! In case of a protracted course of the pathological process, longer use of therapeutic nutrition is permissible, but it is important to control the patient’s weight. If there is a tendency towards exhaustion, a higher calorie diet is chosen.

Traditional diet No. 4 is also abandoned in case of an inflammatory process with constipation, diarrhea, water-electrolyte imbalance and exacerbation of allergic reactions. For ulcerative colitis with diarrhea and diarrhea, fats are sharply limited, and rehydration therapy is prescribed to prevent dehydration.

For constipation due to ulcerative colitis, kefir must be included in the menu. In case of allergies, carbohydrates must be limited, and in case of internal bleeding, the diet is filled with ingredients rich in calcium.

Nutrition in the acute period of the disease

Small and frequent meals in minimal portions help reduce digestive load and trauma to the intestinal mucosa


Diet and nutrition during exacerbation of intestinal ulcers is the main aspect of successful therapy. With exacerbation of ulcerative colitis, pain in the lower abdomen, general malaise, and watery diarrhea are expressed. In the first 2-3 days, a plentiful drinking regimen is indicated:

  • Chamomile decoction;
  • unsweetened black and green tea;
  • ​ decoction of rose hips;
  • Infusion of blueberries, bird cherry, quince.

It is acceptable to use warm water with honey, thick berry jelly. By the way, jelly can be eaten instead of an afternoon snack or late dinner. The drink perfectly satisfies hunger, softens and protects irritated intestinal mucous membranes.

After a few days of a half-starved diet, they switch to a full-fledged diet No. 4. Among the permitted products, the following are especially distinguished:

  • ​ dried crackers, yesterday's pastries or bread;
  • ​ fermented milk products (except for whole milk);
  • ​ casseroles and puddings;
  • ​ low-fat fish and meat;
  • ​ all greens (dill, parsley, cilantro, green onions);
  • ​ green, black tea;
  • ​ Kissels, jelly and other gelatinous dishes;
  • ​ pasta;
  • ​ Porridge with milk and water (except for buckwheat, barley, millet due to stimulation of intestinal motility).

For nonspecific ulcerative colitis with constipation or diarrhea, it is necessary to include in the diet carrot puree, baked apple with honey, kefir, yogurt, rosehip decoction with sugar. In case of severe diarrhea or the simultaneous development of dyskinesia, table No. 3 is prescribed, which is based on the introduction of the following ingredients into the diet:

  • Rice cereal, semolina;
  • ​ fiber that does not cause bloating;
  • ​ abundant drinking regimen;
  • ​bran;
  • ​ dry biscuits, crackers, biscuits;
  • ​ cottage cheese;
  • ​baked berries;
  • ​Protein omelettes with milk.

Milk is allowed when added to tea and various hot dishes. Among sweets, preference is given to marshmallows, marshmallows, honey, dried fruits, and marmalade. It is unacceptable to eat aggressive foods: fatty, spicy, spicy, salty. Marinades, preserves, mushrooms, alcoholic drinks in any dosage, and sweet carbonated water are excluded.

Note! If you have ulcerative colitis of the intestines with diarrhea, you should not drink mineral carbonated water due to increased load on the digestive organs, bloating, and increased gas formation. Mineral water irritates the mucous membranes and interferes with the normal restoration of the epithelial layer. If desired, mineral water is pre-degassed.

As the general condition improves, patients switch to diet No. 4a, No. 4b, No. 3. It is important to drink plenty of fluids, eat according to a schedule, and follow a certain schedule. Typically, with chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, patients are forced to follow a lifelong diet.

Do's and don'ts for ulcerative colitis

What to eat when mucous membranes are inflamed? The disease involves inflammatory damage to the mucous membranes with the formation of ulcerative lesions. For complete healing of the mucous membranes and stimulation of cells for regeneration, it is important to create the right menu that completely excludes foods that injure the intestinal mucous membranes:

  • ​ coarse fiber;
  • ​ mushrooms;
  • ​garlic and onion;
  • ​ turnip, radish, black radish;
  • ​ sour fruits, berries;
  • ​ pickles, mustard, sauces with spices and seasonings;
  • ​alcohol;
  • ​ sparkling waters;
  • ​Fat saturated broths.

Preference should be given to baked or boiled vegetables, pureed vegetable, meat and fish dishes, casseroles, savory pies, fermented milk products, boiled cereal porridges. Such rules must be followed by patients with a history of ulcerative colitis. Often, following a diet during a chronic process is lifelong.

In case of exacerbation of the pathology, the patient is hospitalized in a specialized hospital, where a full examination will be carried out, adequate drug therapy and special nutrition will be selected.

If all medical recommendations are followed, patients will feel a general improvement after some time. In addition, you can eliminate unpleasant symptoms using traditional methods. Learn more about effective treatment for ulcerative colitis folk remedies possible in the article.

Sample menu for the week

A little imagination and creativity will help you create a real culinary masterpiece from an ordinary medicinal dish.

The healing menu for the week is not particularly diverse, but with imagination and a creative approach you can diversify the most unpleasant-looking steamed cutlets. A sample menu for ulcerative colitis may look like this:

Day 1

  • Breakfast: rice porridge with milk and butter, crackers with sweet tea.
  • Lunch: soup with meatballs, noodles and herbs, boiled beet salad with prunes and homemade mayonnaise, rosehip decoction.
  • Afternoon snack: cottage cheese casserole, warm jelly with crackers.
  • Dinner: mashed potatoes with fish cutlet, green tea.

Day 2

  • Breakfast: semolina porridge with butter, green tea.
  • Lunch: noodle soup with chicken breast with herbs, blueberry broth, toasted bread with cheese.
  • Afternoon snack: vegetables stewed in a pot with meat balls.
  • Dinner: steamed meatballs with rice and vegetables, crackers, green tea or thick berry jelly.

Day 3

  • Breakfast: white omelette with herbs and tomatoes, doctor's sausage, toasted bread.
  • Lunch: fresh cabbage soup with vegetables and sour cream, croutons, beet salad with prunes.
  • Afternoon snack: cottage cheese casserole, jelly.
  • Dinner: ground buckwheat porridge, meatballs with vegetable sauce, black tea with milk.

Day 4

  • Breakfast: oat milk porridge with dried apricots, black tea with milk.
  • Lunch: fresh cucumber salad with herbs and corn, fish soup, croutons.
  • Afternoon snack: steam omelette, chamomile infusion.
  • Dinner: buckwheat porridge with chicken cutlet, crackers with a decoction of rose hips and honey.

Day 5

  • Breakfast: crackers with cheese, zucchini casserole with vegetables, green tea.
  • Lunch: soup with meatballs and noodles, light vegetable salad with sour cream, croutons.
  • Afternoon snack: baked apple with honey, chamomile infusion.
  • Dinner: mashed potatoes with salmon steak, dried fruit compote.

Day 6

  • Breakfast: sweet curd with honey and dried fruits, fresh low-fat kefir.
  • Lunch: borscht with sour cream without meat, dried bread.
  • Afternoon snack: stewed vegetables with beef in a pot, jelly.
  • Dinner: boiled buckwheat, meatballs with rice, black tea with beef.

Day 7

  • Breakfast: steam omelette, toast, coffee with milk.
  • Lunch: noodle soup with chicken broth, beet salad with prunes, green tea.
  • Afternoon snack: dried bun, dried fruit compote.
  • Dinner: vinaigrette, mashed potatoes and steamed fish, cottage cheese casserole.

For a late dinner before bed, kefir with honey, thick berry jelly, green tea with biscuits or crackers are ideal. If you feel better, you can include fruits in your diet: bananas, pears, apples, grapes in small quantities. After drug therapy, restoration of the intestinal microflora is often required. It is important to go to bed at night on a half-empty stomach. An undoubted advantage is the reduction of body weight, which is important for any diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Note! Days can be swapped, supplemented with your favorite food ingredients, for example, kefir, tea with lemon (if improved), herbs, colored vegetables. Steamed or stewed vegetables can be cooked with meat broth for richer flavor. During an exacerbation, it is important to exclude all prohibited foods.

As you know, in the treatment of any pathology of the gastrointestinal tract, diet is as important as drug therapy. Its essence is to create maximum peace for the intestines, limiting the mechanical, chemical and thermal effects on it. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are no exception in this case and have almost the same dietary recommendations.

It is necessary to understand that the diet must be followed not only during the period of exacerbation of the disease, but also during the period of remission, so as not to lead to an exacerbation again.

As traditions say, proper nutrition is the key to health. That's why:

Food should look attractive and taste good - this creates positive emotions after eating.

Try to chew your food thoroughly, not eating too large pieces of food - this will minimize mechanical damage to the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract.

Eating foods that are not too cold and not too hot will help you avoid thermal damage to your stomach and intestines.

Acute phase of ulcerative colitis - what to eat?

During an acute inflammatory process in the intestines, people often switch to artificial nutrition or a strict diet in order to create rest in the intestines and at the same time support the delivery of necessary nutrients to the body. The goal of the diet is to minimize the symptoms of the disease: diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.

During an exacerbation of the disease, the need for nutrients increases, food is poorly digested and the need for energy for recovery increases. Ballast substances (fiber) put a lot of strain on the intestines at this time, so meals during this period should be free of them.

Advice :

Drink plenty of fluids - this will help you replace the water lost by your body in the process of inflammation along with diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, as well as as a result of the altered ability of the intestines to absorb back water and substances beneficial to the body. Both plain water and tea made from Fennel, cumin, chamomile, cinnamon, linden blossom, apple and anise work well.

A sufficient influx of calories - ready-made mixtures Nutrizon, Nutricomp, Peptamine are suitable for this. They are an additional source of energy, since patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are recommended an additional 500-600 kcal per day, since inflammation increases the need for energy. In terms of energy composition, during an exacerbation period, it is recommended to consume 200-250g of carbohydrates per day (with limited fiber), 120-125g of proteins and 55-60g of fats. It is recommended to eat food poor in ballast substances, no nuts, bran, less seeds. In case of steatorrhea (fatty stools), it is necessary to limit the consumption of trans fats (margarine or butter), limit the intake of fatty cheeses in order to reduce fat loss.

More protein will help correct their loss, since they are the main building material in the body and also have an immune function. Low-fat varieties of beef and poultry and eggs are recommended.

There are fewer ballast substances, since they load the intestines with work and do not give it rest. White and gray bread, cereal crispbreads, soft vegetables, compotes, and diluted juices are recommended. No salads, hard fruits and vegetables, sour compotes and juices.

Be careful with milk, as lactase activity in the intestines may be reduced. In this case, it is necessary to pay attention to a sufficient influx of calcium into the body.

Herbal teas from fennel, cumin, chamomile, cinnamon, etc., non-sour diluted juices or compotes,

White or gray bread, cereal crispbreads,

Soft banana, grated apple (can be with shell), strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, not sweet and not fatty cottage cheese,

Slimy soups made from whole grains, rice or millet porridges prepared in water, or with the addition of fruits.

Vegetable broth, carrot or potato soups,

Egg yolk as an addition to regular or slimy soups, porridges,

- ready-made baby food,

As seasonings, you can use fresh herbs (parsley, dill), cumin, vanilla, and a little salt.

Nutrition in remission.

When the disease recedes and the person gets better, then the patient’s daily diet gradually expands. Our goal is to replenish the body with all the vital nutrients and vitamins that it lost during the exacerbation of the disease, which will ultimately improve and strengthen health, as well as regulate digestion.

So what can you eat?

Below we present separate groups of drugs that patients should pay special attention to:

1. Grains and grain products. Regular buns and bread use grain flour, which does not contain the beneficial microelements that we need. Therefore, it is better to eat whole grains or grain breads, cereal porridges and muesli.

On a note:

Rice and buckwheat grains are good for digestion, but wheat can sometimes cause problems with stool,

Cooked cereal porridges and mucilaginous cereal soups soften stools,

Coarsely ground solids can cause problems.

2. Vegetables and fruits. For both diseases in remission, it is recommended to eat a lot of vegetables and fruits. However, some features are worth paying attention to, since the compatibility of vegetables and fruits is very different and is determined by the disease and individual tolerance.

Well tolerated:

Potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, asparagus, broccoli, zucchini, spinach, fennel, chicory, green peas and celery,

Bananas, ripe apples, pears, strawberries, raspberries, peaches and melons,

Well-mashed fruits regulate stool.

Not well tolerated:

Raw vegetables (more likely to act as a laxative), citrus fruits, plums, grapes, cherries, currants,

Concentrated sugar in fruit juices irritates the anus, so it is recommended to dilute them before drinking.

Note: if you have problems with the intestines, it is rational to remove the peel from the fruit, since it often has a laxative effect.

3. Milk and dairy products. Fresh milk is often not recommended because people in both cases may have lactase deficiency. In general, fermented milk products are well tolerated, preferably products with acidophilus bacteria (bio-yogurt). You can also mix natural yogurt or curdled milk with fruit.

4. Cheeses. In general, cheeses can be consumed, but they are not recommended processed cheeses, because they contain a lot of salt and various additives, which can affect the digestion process.

On a note:

For good tolerance, milk and dairy products are best consumed in combination with other foods, especially pasteurized milk,

Cream itself is a fatty product and can lead to diarrhea,

Curd dishes are prepared by beating egg whites and are well tolerated,

Roquefort cheese, blue cheese and fondue can cause indigestion,

Fresh cheeses are best tolerated because they contain less lactose.

Very often, long-term processes of exacerbation of the disease can cause deficiency of the lactase enzyme, which processes milk sugar. Dairy intolerance is more common in ulcerative colitis than in Crohn's disease. Therefore, these patients should sharply limit their intake or completely abandon products that contain milk, namely:

Canned food,

Sausages and sausages,

Some types of bread and crackers,

Ice cream,

Puddings,

Ready salads.

5.Meat, fish, eggs. Basically, all 3 types of foods need to be consumed, since they all contain protein, which we need for the construction of cells and enzymes. But when gastrointestinal function decreases, they may be more difficult to digest, which will ultimately lead to the accumulation of putrefactive products. Therefore, it is necessary to know what kind of meat you eat.

Well tolerated:

All lean and tender meats, such as chicken, beef, lamb, game meat, as well as roasts and assorted poultry,

Trout, cod, flounder, halibut, sole, red snapper.

Not well tolerated:

Fatty beef, lamb, pork, goose or duck, smoked fatty sausages, such as salami and cervelat,

Eel, herring, anchovy, carp, sardine, fish salads.

6. Fats and oils. In general, patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are advised to consume no more than 80g of fat. It is necessary to take into account that we also receive hidden fats contained in various foods. For example, cheeses, sausages, chocolate, and butter contain about 40 g of fat. High-quality fats should be used - sunflower, corn, rapeseed or soybean oil, not hard margarine, as they are rich in essential fatty acids, as well as fresh cream and fresh butter. Pork or goose fat, lard, all hard varieties of margarine, fatty oil and mayonnaise are not recommended.

In both diseases, all the fats affected above play a role important role, especially in the acute phase. During the inflammatory process in the intestines, the need for fats increases significantly, but the reabsorption of bile acids does not occur completely or does not occur at all. This in turn leads to an increased need for bile acids; their increased production with incomplete absorption leads to complete wear and tear of this function and, ultimately, fats can no longer be digested. This leads to diarrhea and steatorrhea-fatty stools. As a result, there is a danger of a deficiency of essential fatty acids and insufficient intake of fats and fat-soluble vitamins into the body.

On a note:

Deficiencies of saturated fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins can be prevented by eating other foods that contain small amounts of high-quality fats that are better tolerated and do not cause diarrhea.

During the recovery process, to adequately replenish fatty acids, a person can eat cottage cheese dishes in the morning with the addition of a tablespoon of high-quality butter or muffins made from cottage cheese dough.

7. Trans fats and triglycerides. They have a high energy value and do not contain any essential fatty acids, so they can lead to obesity and do not provide any benefit to the body, and in the case of an acute process, their use must be stopped, since they can lead to steatorrhea - fatty and loose stools.

Trans fats are found in the following foods:

Fast food: French fries, burgers and cheeseburgers,

Meat and other semi-finished products, frozen pies, pizza, cookies,

Almost all mayonnaises and mayonnaise-like sauces,

Store-bought confectionery - cakes, pastries, pies, muffins, donuts, candies, and sometimes bread,

Dry concentrates of sauces, soups, desserts,

Some breakfast cereal mixtures

Potato chips, saltine crackers,

Margarine and light oils, dry vegetable fat,

Microwave popcorn.

When consuming trans fats, you need to pay attention:

They are not used for frying and boiling,

The use of trans fats can lead to diarrhea,

Hard margarine leads to the so-called “fat hit”.

8.Drinks. Each person should drink at least 1.5 liters of liquid per day. We recommend not very hot or cold herbal teas of all types and flavors, drinks free of carbon dioxide, mineral water. It is allowed to take diluted natural juices with pulp in moderation, and be careful with sour citrus juices. It is necessary to limit the intake of grain or freeze-dried coffee and black tea for lunch - they increase intestinal motility and can reduce iron absorption.

9.Sugar. If you consume sugar in moderation, there will be no problems with digestion. Often the problem is that the average person consumes too much sugar per day - about 4-6 mg per day. Sugar is purely a supplier of energy and does not carry with it any useful minerals and vitamins. In both diseases, especially during an exacerbation, increased sugar intake can enhance fermentation processes, since absorption through the wall is impaired, which will lead to diarrhea and flatulence, and in combination with grain products often leads to nausea.

Nonspecific ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are diseases that require careful health monitoring and strict adherence to all treatment recommendations, including diet. Proper nutrition is necessary, first of all, in order not to lead to a repeated acute process in the intestines or to delay it, as well as to preserve the already impaired intestinal function as full as possible.

Take care of yourself and be healthy!

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