The pancreas is a very small but capricious gland, and if everything is not in order with it, then a person has to abstain from many of his favorite dishes and products. In order not to lead to acute pancreatitis or exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis, you should adhere to a diet that is commonly called the 5P table.
What can you eat if you have pancreatitis? We will talk about this in this article. Let's consider the most frequently asked questions regarding prohibited and permitted foods for this disease.
What vegetables can you eat?
Tomatoes
Can you eat tomatoes if you have pancreatitis? As for tomatoes, the opinions of nutritionists are divided; some believe that they are very useful because they contain delicate fiber, which is so necessary for the gastrointestinal tract, and remove harmful cholesterol from the blood, which is very important for the pancreas.
Others believe that it is worth refraining from using them, especially during an acute process or even a mild exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis. Definitely, you should not eat unripe tomatoes, which contain a lot of toxins that burden all organs of the digestive system.
But fresh tomato juice made from ripe tomatoes (not juice from industrial bags, but squeezed from fresh tomatoes) turns out to be a very valuable product that stimulates the pancreas, especially when mixed with freshly squeezed carrot juice. You can also eat tomatoes stewed or baked. But, in everything, moderation should be observed; abuse of even healthy foods can affect the functioning of the pancreas.
Tomato juice is a choleretic, that is, choleretic. If you drink it during an exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis, then, most likely, it will be even worse, since secondary reactive pancreatitis will develop, as with cholelithiasis. Excess bile will be thrown into the common pancreatic duct, where it will activate pancreatic enzymes, which will digest not the food in the small intestine, but the gland itself. The result is acute pancreatitis, a gurney, an operating table for pancreatic necrosis, and then either disability or death.
Thus, tomatoes and tomato juice are allowed in remission of chronic pancreatitis, when there is no pain, no swelling according to ultrasound, no increase in amylase, diastase, elastase and other signs of inflammation.
All recommendations in this article are indications for the 5P table for chronic pancreatitis during the recovery period after an exacerbation and outside of an exacerbation. To avoid acute pancreatitis, you should not drink alcoholic beverages (especially strong drinks) and certain medications.
cucumbers
If you have pancreatitis, can you eat cucumbers or not? Cucumbers, despite being 90% water, are actually very rich in microelements and vitamins. You can eat cucumbers for this disease; moreover, for treatment, a cucumber diet is sometimes prescribed for pancreatitis, when a person eats 7 kg of cucumbers in a week, this unloads the pancreas and prevents inflammatory processes in it. Again, let's talk about the fact that everything is useful in moderation; with excessive consumption of cucumbers, especially if they contain nitrates or, even worse, pesticides, the benefits are reduced to zero.
Cabbage
Is it possible to eat cabbage and broccoli if you have pancreatitis? Cauliflower, broccoli, Chinese cabbage can be eaten, but it is better stewed or boiled. Regular white cabbage, which we are most familiar with, has very tough fiber, so it is prohibited to eat it raw, but after heat treatment it can also rarely be eaten. And of course, don’t forget that you should avoid fried vegetables. And it is better to avoid sauerkraut, as it greatly irritates the mucous membranes. Peking cabbage can sometimes be eaten raw, but any type of cabbage should be introduced into the diet after an exacerbation with caution.
Is sea kale healthy? The answer from nutritionists is yes, it is the healthiest of all types, since it contains a very large amount of cobalt and nickel, without which the normal functioning of the gland is impossible. Is it possible to eat seaweed if you have pancreatitis? Yes, . . . only to residents of Southeast Asia (Japan), since the enzymatic systems there are different from European ones. Even on medicines in pharmacies in Japan they indicate that they may not help Europeans. Therefore, you should not eat seaweed during pancreatitis, especially during exacerbation. This is not like other types of cabbage, this product is closer to mushrooms, that is, its utilization will require a massive release of pancreatic enzymes, which will cause worsening inflammation. Therefore, seaweed, like mushrooms, is not given to children under 12 years of age (they do not have the appropriate enzymes) and they are contraindicated for pancreatitis.
What fruits can you have for pancreatitis?
It is undesirable to consume all sour fruits, especially those with coarse fiber, especially during exacerbations. You can eat fruit only 10 days after the start of remission of pancreatitis. In case of chronic pancreatitis, you should also not abuse various fruits; it is enough to eat 1 of the allowed fruits per day. Of course, in terms of the content of nutrients, vitamins and minerals, they have no equal and this is why they are useful for the gland, but the presence of coarse fiber harms its functioning:
- You can eat: strawberries, sweet green apples, papaya, pineapples, avocados, watermelons
- You cannot eat: pears, all types of citrus fruits, sour apples, peaches, plums, cherry plums, mangoes
- During remission, experiments with eating various fruits are allowed, provided they are heat treated - in a double boiler, oven.
There are certain rules when and how to eat fruits with pancreatitis:
- Allowed fruits should be chopped, ground, and crushed as thoroughly as possible.
- Best consumed after baking in the oven or steamer
- You should not eat more than one fruit per day
- You should know exactly the list of permitted and prohibited fruits and know the medications that should be taken if you accidentally eat an unwanted fruit.
Is it possible to eat strawberries and bananas with pancreatitis and why? Most nutritionists believe that the pancreas, without exacerbation of pancreatitis, is able to cope with strawberries in small quantities, but everything is individual. It is better to avoid eating bananas.
Is it possible to drink alcohol if you have pancreatitis?
The pancreas categorically rejects any alcoholic beverages. Of all the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, this gland is most susceptible to the toxic effects of alcohol. Unlike the liver, it does not have an enzyme capable of breaking down alcohol. It is known that more than 40% of all cases of acute pancreatitis occur after heavy drinking, fatty snacks, or a cheerful long feast.
In chronic pancreatitis, when drinking alcohol, there is a high risk of repeated attacks of acute pancreatitis, which lead to serious functional, anatomical destruction of the pancreas. And as you know, unlike the liver, this gland is not completely restored. And with each intake of alcohol, the formation of foci of fibrosis progresses, which essentially means that the pancreas does not just become inflamed, but rots.
So, what should you not eat if you have pancreatitis?
Fatty food
The pancreas really does not like fatty foods, smoked foods, foods with a high protein or fat content.
- Meat.Therefore, fatty meats (pork, duck, goose), especially kebabs made from them, cutlets, sausages, stewed meat and canned food should be excluded.
- Fish.Fatty fish - sturgeon, salmon, trout, salmon, herring, sprat, mackerel, catfish, as well as caviar and canned fish, salted and smoked fish are also excluded from the diet.
- Broths.According to gastroenterologists, it is difficult to find a more harmful product for the pancreas than rich bone broth, aspic. And many people try to bring strong chicken broth to the hospital to improve their health. This is a big mistake!
Products containing artificial colors, flavors, preservatives
They also do not spare the pancreas. On the shelves of our supermarkets there are practically no products without the chemical additives listed above, so recently the number of patients with pancreatitis to varying degrees of severity has been steadily growing. It becomes especially scary for children, because they also consume large quantities of harmful chemical products called "children’s yogurt" (stuffed with preservatives, flavorings and flavor enhancers), children’s smoked sausage, "children’s sausages" - by definition there cannot be any children’s sausages, Children should not eat such foods at all! ! ! And then we wonder why a 10-year-old child has pancreatitis?
Dairy
Glazed cheese curds, fatty varieties of cottage cheese, cheeses, especially smoked and salted ones, should not be consumed. Ice cream is also contraindicated, especially since recently it has been made not from natural butter, milk and cream, but from palm oil, dry cream and milk, which go through several stages of chemical processes, which makes it very difficult for the gland when such products enter the body. organism.
Beverages
As for drinks, the pancreas really doesn’t like soda and lemonade, which cause bloating and are usually saturated with all possible dyes, sweeteners, flavors and even preservatives. As for coffee and cocoa, these are also prohibited drinks, especially on an empty stomach. Strongly brewed tea and bread kvass are also harmful to the capricious gland. Many manufacturers of soluble chicory claim that this drink is almost a panacea and can be drunk for gastritis, pancreatitis, and cholecystitis. In terms of its effect on the gastrointestinal tract, soluble chicory is as harmful as coffee, therefore, when following a diet for pancreatitis, it should be excluded or consumed only in very rare cases, not on an empty stomach, listening to your feelings; if there is the slightest discomfort after consuming it, you should discard itat all.
- Confectionery- sweets, baked goods, chocolate - very strain the pancreas.
- Eggs.Hard-boiled eggs or fried eggs are contraindicated.
- Vegetables.Coarse, hard and spicy vegetables such as radish, garlic, horseradish, lettuce, sorrel, mushrooms, legumes, bell peppers, onions (raw) cannot be eaten in any form. The remaining vegetables are very necessary, but only in boiled or steamed form.
- Fast food.Such food is dangerous even for a completely healthy person, and if we are talking about pancreatitis, then there are practically "poisonous" finished products - this is a direct path to a hospital bed.
- Fruits.There are also restrictions here; they cannot be eaten raw, especially sour ones (citrus fruits, cranberries) and too sweet ones - grapes, figs, persimmons.
Proper nutrition - what can you eat if you have pancreatitis?
Everyone knows that the pancreas loves during an exacerbation - hunger, cold and peace. And outside of an exacerbation, it is very important how much, how often, when and what a person suffering from pancreatitis eats.
It is very important to follow certain rules and diet, the most important thing is to eat small amounts of food, quite often, preferably every 3 hours, limit food intake at night and, of course, not eat certain types of foods.
Compliance with these rules is the key to long-term remission and a full life with pancreatitis. What can you eat with pancreatitis without harming this small organ?
- Vegetables:As we said, cucumbers in the form of puree, tomatoes, preferably in the form of juice, broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, zucchini, beets, green peas - only baked or boiled - are useful. It is very convenient and healthy to make vegetable casseroles or vegetarian soups. White cabbage should be limited and eaten only in boiled or stewed form.
- Fruits:strawberries, sweet apples, pineapples, avocados in the form of compote, jelly, it is especially good to make fruit purees from apricots, and you can eat no more than 1 piece of watermelon or melon.
- Milk:Many people don’t know whether milk is ok for pancreatitis? It is not recommended to consume milk in its pure form, since its breakdown requires enzymes, which are already insufficient for pancreatitis; after 14 years, no one should drink milk in its pure form, except rarely and separately from other products. In diseases of the pancreas, whole milk can cause both diarrhea and flatulence. Among dairy products, kefir, yogurt, and other liquid fermented milk products are considered the most ideal. You can also eat cottage cheese, but up to 9% fat content. It is very convenient and quick to make various casseroles and lazy dumplings from cottage cheese. Sour cream and fatty, sharp hard cheeses are excluded, so only cheese like Gouda and mozzarella remain.
- Meat:with meat products everything is clear - no fat, therefore, all that remains is lean veal, chicken (without skin), turkey, boiled rabbit meat, you can also make soup with meatballs, soufflé and steamed cutlets.
- Eggs:no more than 2 eggs per week and only soft-boiled, it is very difficult for the pancreas to handle the yolk, so it is better to eat only the white.
- Porridge, cereals, pasta:This is the most dietary food. Oatmeal, buckwheat, semolina and rice porridge are healthy. Barley and millet are excluded as cereals that are very difficult to digest. Pasta can also be eaten for pancreatitis, with the addition of a small amount of sunflower or butter.
- Fish:Also, the fish should be lean, boiled or baked; you can make steamed cutlets. Pike perch, pollock, cod, and pike are very useful.
- Bread:Brown bread is one of the prohibited foods, so you can eat white bread, preferably dried; cookies can only be biscuits, unsweetened and unsweetened.
- Sugar:Few people can eat without sweet foods; with pancreatitis, sugar is a strong irritant, but sometimes you can make your own jelly. But you should give up all store-bought sweets; in addition to sugar, they contain such harmful chemicals that it is very difficult for the pancreas to cope with them. It is possible to occasionally treat yourself to marmalade, marshmallows or marshmallows.
- Beverages:Only weakly brewed tea, preferably green, compote, jelly, decoctions of medicinal herbs, rose hips. Mineral water is very useful for this disease.
Question answer:
Is it possible to have goat milk?
Goat milk is a rather difficult product for the pancreas. Since its fat content exceeds cow's by two and a half times. Peoples who traditionally use this product as their main product have enzymatic systems that are more adapted to its use. But if you're not used to it, goat's milk can cause digestive upsets. Therefore, when introducing this type of milk and products made from it, one must be careful, start with small portions and gradually increase them with normal tolerance. The absence of nausea, loose or pasty stools will indicate that the product is being digested normally.
Is it possible to have matsoni?
Matsoni, like other fermented milk products, is not contraindicated for chronic pancreatitis. The whole point will be in the fat content of the milk from which it (it) is prepared. Milk that is too rich is of course undesirable.
Is it possible to make yeast baked goods, puff pastry, and gingerbread?
During periods of exacerbation of pancreatitis, yeast baking is not indicated. During remission, yeast baked goods should be dosed wisely. Puff pastry is not contraindicated. In gingerbread cookies, the first place will be the degree of sweetening (in case of problems with insulin and pancreatitis) and the glaze with which they are covered. Cheap confectionery products often use a glaze based on refractory fats (coconut and palm oils), which does not improve the health of the pancreas.
Can I have cinnamon?
Cinnamon is a spice that is sold only in specialized stores or brought by distributors. What we buy in bags in hypermarkets is a cheaper option called cassia. This pseudo-cinnamon has been associated with stories that it helps with type 2 diabetes. This is not actually the work of the pancreas, but the response of insulin receptors in the tissues. There is no decent evidence of this anywhere. In general, cinnamon increases the production of gastric juice, being a stimulant, so it is not recommended for exacerbations of pancreatitis.
Is it possible to eat liver - stomach, heart, liver?
Products related to liver (heart, stomach), as well as liver, are not contraindicated for pancreatitis if they are boiled or stewed. It is better not to eat these foods fried.
Is it possible to have processed cheese, coffee, chocolate, bread?
It is advisable to choose processed cheese without spicy seasonings and a large number of emulsifiers and preservatives. You shouldn't overuse chocolate. You can eat bread. Coffee is not advisable regularly and during exacerbations. The solution is to add milk and drink infrequently in small cups.
Can I have brown and white rice and olive oil?
You can eat rice. Add olive oil to salads and other dishes as usual. Without fanaticism.
Is it possible to pickle cabbage?
Cabbage brine is contraindicated as a hangover cure because alcohol destroys the pancreas. In general, outside of exacerbation of pancreatitis in the absence of inflammation in the stomach or duodenum, a couple of spoons of brine cannot harm, but drinking it in glasses is not recommended.
Salted lard?
Fat puts more strain on the liver and bile ducts. In this case, the pancreas may suffer secondarily. Against the background of remission of pancreatitis, you can eat lard, but in reasonable portions of a couple of pieces a day a couple of times a week.