From the Guidelines
The best diet for Crohn's disease is a Mediterranean-style diet rich in fruits, vegetables, complex carbohydrates, and monounsaturated fats, and low in added sugar, salt, red meats, and ultraprocessed foods, as it can be tolerated by many patients and may improve symptoms in some. This dietary approach is recommended based on the most recent and highest quality study available, which suggests that a healthy, balanced Mediterranean-style diet can improve symptoms in patients with Crohn's disease 1.
Key Components of the Diet
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Complex carbohydrates
- Monounsaturated fats
- Lean proteins
- Low in ultraprocessed foods, added sugar, and salt
Benefits of the Diet
- Can be tolerated by many patients with Crohn's disease
- May improve symptoms in some patients
- Supports overall health and general well-being
Additional Considerations
- Patients with symptomatic intestinal strictures may need to modify the texture of fibrous foods by cooking, blending, and thoroughly chewing fruits and vegetables to better tolerate a healthy diet 1.
- Exclusive enteral nutrition using liquid nutrition formulations may be effective for induction of clinical remission and endoscopic response in Crohn’s disease, particularly in children 1.
- A personalized approach to diet and nutrition, tailored to an individual patient's nutritional status and goals, is essential for effective management of Crohn's disease 1.
From the Research
Treatment Options for Crohn's Disease
- The provided studies do not directly address the best diet for Crohn's disease, but rather focus on the efficacy of various medications in treating the condition 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
- Medications such as aminosalicylates, immunosuppressants, and biologics have been shown to be effective in inducing and maintaining remission in Crohn's disease patients 3, 4, 5, 6.
- A network meta-analysis found that adalimumab and infliximab + azathioprine are the most effective therapies for induction and maintenance of remission of Crohn's disease 5.
- Biologics have been found to be the most effective medications to prevent Crohn's disease recurrence after surgery 6.
Medication Efficacy
- Sulfasalazine has been shown to be modestly effective in treating mildly to moderately active Crohn's disease, but is inferior to corticosteroids 3, 4.
- Mesalamine has been found to be not superior to placebo for induction of remission in some studies, but high-dose mesalamine may be effective in maintaining remission 3, 4.
- Immunomodulators such as azathioprine/6-mercaptopurine have been shown to be effective in maintaining remission, but may have a higher incidence of adverse events 5, 6.
Postoperative Recurrence Prevention
- Biologics have been found to be the most effective medications to prevent Crohn's disease recurrence after surgery, followed by immunomodulators and 5-aminosalicylates 6.
- 5-aminosalicylates have been shown to be superior to placebo for prevention of clinical recurrence, without increasing the rate of side effects 6.