7 important nutrition tips for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis

Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are the most common chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). With the right diet, you can significantly improve your well-being and support your treatment. But what does an appropriate diet involve? Don't worry, you can still enjoy food!

IBD tends to flare up and subside. This means that symptom-free periods alternate with periods of discomfort. Because they have no appetite or do not want to put additional strain on their bowels, many sufferers do not eat enough. The result: underweight and malnutrition occur relatively frequently – an unfortunate situation because poor nutritional status is associated with a less favourable course of chronic intestinal inflammation. That is why it is important to pay close attention to nutrition. A nutrition consultation with a qualified specialist can make this easier.

Which foods are suitable depends on individual tolerance and on whether the disease is currently active (flare-up). During a flare-up, nutrition usually plays a subordinate role for sufferers, since the treatment of the symptoms is the main focus. During this time, a low-fibre and low-fat diet is useful to avoid placing additional stress on the digestive tract.

During the symptom-free period (remission phase), however, you can do a lot to ensure that you feel well in the long term by choosing the right foods. We have summarised seven helpful tips for nutrition in the remission phase of chronic inflammatory bowel disease for you here:

1. Follow the guiding principle ‘What is tolerated is allowed.’ So you can eat whatever you like and whatever is good for you!
2. There are no ‘forbidden’ foods. However, some foods can cause discomfort. These are often foods that cause bloating, for example. A food diary can help you to identify personal intolerances.
3. Foods rich in fibre are recommended. These are mainly fruits and vegetables, as well as products made from whole grains.
4. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables – they are valuable sources of vitamins and minerals.
5. The unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids have an anti-inflammatory effect and can have a beneficial effect on the intestinal mucosa. They are found mainly in saltwater fish (e.g. mackerel, herring, salmon) and various vegetable oils (e.g. rapeseed, linseed or walnut oil).
6. There is another unsaturated fatty acid that you should avoid: arachidonic acid. This omega-6 fatty acid promotes inflammation. Arachidonic acid is found exclusively in animal products such as sausage, offal, eggs and lard. You are therefore better off eating plant-based foods.
7. Probiotics are particularly useful for ulcerative colitis – their effectiveness for Crohn's disease has not yet been sufficiently proven.