Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Diet
Overview
While there is no single way of eating that works for everyone with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), there are some foods that may help to:
- lower inflammation in your gut
- manage symptoms like abdominal pain and diarrhea
- improve your quality of life
This way of eating is called My IBD Diet.
My IBD Diet involves choosing:
- foods with monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fats to improve the bacteria in your gut and lower inflammation
- foods with fibre to help the good bacteria in your gut and lower inflammation (during a flare, fibre may worsen symptoms for some people)
- sources of protein that are lower in saturated fat to help your body heal and repair
- polyphenols and antioxidants to lower inflammation and improve symptoms of IBD
- probiotics to help the bacteria in your gut
- vitamin D to help with the health of your bones and immune system
My IBD Diet also includes limiting:
- alcohol
- red meat
- foods and drinks that are prepared with a lot of:
- emulsifiers and food additives
- saturated and omega-6 fats
- sodium (salt)
- sugar or sugar substitutes
If you have IBD and are having trouble managing your diet on your own, talk to your gastroenterologist about getting a referral to a dietitian, call Health Link at 811 to talk to a dietitian, or fill out a self-referral form online to have a Health Link dietitian call you.
Monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fats
Choose foods with monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fats. Foods with these fats help to improve the bacteria in your gut (microbiome) and lower inflammation.
Find monounsaturated fats in:
- almonds, pecans, and cashews
- avocados
- olives
- pumpkin seeds
- oils like olive oil and avocado oil
Find omega-3 fats in:
- fatty fish, like herring, salmon, sardines, and trout
- chia seeds, hemp seeds, and ground flaxseeds
- walnuts
- omega-3 eggs
- seafood and shellfish, like mussels, oysters, and shrimp
Some fish, seafood, and shellfish can be packed in brine, like canned tuna or sardines. Brines are often high in salt (sodium), which can make inflammation worse. Choose fresh or frozen options or canned products packed in water.
Fibre
Choose foods with fibre. Fibre is important for the good bacteria in your gut and can help lower inflammation.
Insoluble fibre
Foods with insoluble fibre can help relieve constipation. Some people with IBD may find that foods with insoluble fibre make their symptoms worse during a flare. This does not happen to everyone. If a food worsens your symptoms, try it again when you are in remission.
Foods with insoluble fibre include:
- fruits with peels that you can eat, like apples and pears
- fruits with tough, stringy pieces, like pineapple
- nuts and seeds, including whole flaxseeds
- wheat bran
- whole grains and whole grain breads and pastas
- dark green leafy vegetables, like arugula, collard greens, kale, and spinach
- cucumbers, peppers, potatoes, and other vegetables with peels or seeds
If eating these foods cause symptoms of IBD, try peeling them, cooking to soften them, or blending them into soups and smoothies.
Gel-forming soluble fibre
Gel-forming soluble fibre dissolves in water and turns into a thick gel. It may help with diarrhea and feeding the good bacteria in your gut. Foods with soluble fibre include:
- barley and oats
- carrots
- citrus fruits, like oranges
- ground chia seeds and ground flaxseeds
- konjac noodles
- legumes
- mushrooms
- peeled apples and pears
- soybeans
Supplements with gel-forming soluble fibre will have these on the ingredient list:
- guar gum
- partially hydrolyzed guar gum
- psyllium (Metamucil)
- wheat dextrin (Benefibre)
Prebiotic fibre
Prebiotic fibre feeds the good bacteria in your gut. For some people with IBD, eating prebiotic fibre foods during a flare may worsen their symptoms. Others are not bothered. If a food worsens your symptoms, try it again when you are in remission.
Foods with prebiotic fibre include:
- agave
- chicory root
- garlic and onions
- inulin fibre supplement
- Jerusalem artichokes
Resistant starch is a type of prebiotic fibre found in foods like barley, lentils, oats, potatoes, plantains, and rice. To raise the resistant starch in these foods, cook and cool them. When you are ready to eat, you can reheat the foods.
Protein
Protein helps your body heal and repair, maintains muscle, prevents muscle loss, and supports your immune system. During a flare, you will need more protein than usual. Choose sources of protein that are lower in saturated fat:
- chicken and turkey (skinless)
- dairy, like Greek or Icelandic yogurt
- eggs
- fish
- lentils and legumes
- soy foods, like tofu and tempeh
Polyphenols and antioxidants
Polyphenols and antioxidants help to lower inflammation and improve the symptoms of IBD. They occur naturally in plant foods.
Find polyphenols in fruits and vegetables, green tea, nuts, whole grains, herbs, and some spices.
Find antioxidants in colourful fruits and vegetables, like:
- blue and purple: blueberries, cabbage, eggplant, turnip, yam
- green: bok choy, broccoli, brussels sprouts, collard greens, green grapes, green apples, celery, leeks
- orange: mango, peppers, pumpkin, sweet potato, squash
- red: beets, peppers, radish, strawberries, tomato
Probiotics
Fermented foods have probiotics, which are live, helpful bacteria. Eating these foods may help the bacteria in your gut. Find probiotics in fermented foods, like:
- kefir
- kimchi
- kombucha
- miso
- sauerkraut
- tempeh
- yogurt
If you are thinking about taking probiotic supplements, talk with your healthcare team first.
Vitamin D
People with IBD are at a higher risk of having low vitamin D levels. Vitamin D helps with bone health and supporting immune function. Find vitamin D in:
- fortified dairy products, like milk and yogurt
- egg yolks
- fatty fish, like herring, salmon, sardines, and trout
- fortified soy beverage
- fortified orange juice
- soft margarine
Vitamin D supplements are recommended for most people in Canada. Talk to your healthcare team to find out what is best for you.
Food and drinks to limit
Some food and drinks can make your IBD symptoms worse. Limit or avoid (when you can):
- alcohol, like beer, coolers, wine, ciders, and spirits
- red meat, like beef, pork, lamb, and veal. If you eat red meat, choose lean cuts, trim the visible fat, and pick cuts that have less fat throughout the meat like tenderloin, sirloin, pork loin, and extra-lean ground meat.
Limit highly processed foods and drinks. These are products that are prepared with a lot of:
- emulsifiers and food additives. Check ingredient lists for carboxymethyl cellulose, carrageenan, maltodextrin polysorbate 80, and titanium dioxide.
- nitrates and nitrites. These are added to foods like bacon, deli meat, ham, hot dogs, wieners, and sausage.
- sodium (salt). Too much salt can make inflammation worse. Learn more about eating less salt. You may need more sodium if you have diarrhea or a high ostomy output. Talk to your healthcare team to learn more.
- sugar or sugar substitutes. Check ingredient lists for sugar substitutes like acesulfame-potassium, aspartame, sucralose, and sugar alcohols like isomalt, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol, and xylitol.
- omega-6 and saturated fats. These are often found in:
- store-bought cakes, cookies, and muffins
- deep-fried foods, like donuts and french fries
- processed meats, like deli meats and hot dogs
- convenience snack foods, like cheesies, chips, and pork rinds
- vegetable oils, like corn, safflower, soybean, and sunflower oil
To see this information online and learn more, visit MyHealth.Alberta.ca/health/aftercareinformation/pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=custom.ab_ibd_diet_inst.
Related to IBD Diet:
For 24/7 nurse advice and general health information call Health Link at 811.
Current as of: November 12, 2024
Author: Nutrition Services, Alberta Health Services.
This material is not a substitute for the advice of a qualified health professional. This material is intended for general information only and is provided on an "as is", "where is" basis. Although reasonable efforts were made to confirm the accuracy of the information, Alberta Health Services does not make any representation or warranty, express, implied or statutory, as to the accuracy, reliability, completeness, applicability or fitness for a particular purpose of such information. Alberta Health Services expressly disclaims all liability for the use of these materials, and for any claims, actions, demands or suits arising from such use.
