Your Health Matters
Mediterranean Diet
ea
Pl
Eating Healthy for Inflammatory Bowel Disease
se
5/
LYl: 41
N Mai
O and
E edia
,M
PLents
Mocum
D
SAfrom
r
de
or
Good nutrition can help improve your overall health and manage your symptoms of Inflammatory
Bowel Disease (IBD). The Mediterranean Diet is known as one of the healthiest eating patterns.
New research shows that it can help reduce inflammation associated with IBD and other conditions
including heart disease.
The general idea of the Mediterranean Diet is to eat more plant-based foods, whole grains, olive
oil, and fish; and eat less red meats and animal fats. Vegetable oils are heart-healthy, so use them
most often, while limiting butter and cream. Every case of IBD is different, so eat the following foods
according to your own tolerance.
Most of your foods will come from:
• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Whole grains and cereals
• Nuts, seeds, and nut butters
• Beans and lentils
• Fish and other seafood
• Olive oil
• Garlic, herbs, spices
About 2-3 times per week, choose:
• Poultry: chicken, turkey
SDNUT0500 • Revised 07/15
4
Limit to 2-3 times per month:
5
20
• Soy protein: tofu, tempeh
4-
• Eggs
51
• Low fat dairy: yogurt, cheese, milk
• Red meats
• Animal fats: butter, lard, and cream
Find a Doctor: (888) 689-8273 • Patient Education Library: www.ucsfhealth.org/education
General Diet Tips for IBD
• Eat smaller, more frequent meals instead of three large meals.
• Avoid tough foods such as jerky, dried fruit, and large portions of raw vegetables.
• Drink at least 8 cups of liquid each day.
° Sports drinks can help replace fluid lost with diarrhea.
ea
Pl
®
®
° If you are losing weight, choose high protein drinks such as milk, Ensure , Boost , or
Carnation Instant Breakfast®.
se
• Listen to your body. If a food makes symptoms worse, avoid it.
r
de
or
• Eat less fiber during more severe symptoms, or if you have an obstruction or stricture.
5/
LYl: 41
N Mai
O and
E edia
,M
PLents
Mocum
D
SAfrom
During Flares: Eat Less Fiber
Fiber cannot be digested, so it can increase bowel movements. The reason for eating less fiber during
flares is to help prevent excess bowel movements. If you have a stricture or obstruction, fiber can be
more difficult to pass through your gut.
A moderate fiber diet is 20 grams of fiber daily and a very low fiber diet is less than 10 grams of fiber
daily. See page 3 for lower fiber food ideas.
Eat a variety of foods to meet your nutritional needs while limiting fiber. If you are on a low fiber, very
low fiber, or liquid diet for more than one week, take a multivitamin supplement to help meet your
needs for vitamins and minerals.
Anti-inflammatory Foods
Certain foods may reduce inflammation and improve symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease. Eat
plenty of foods that are rich in omega-3 oils, such as fish, nuts, and seeds. Many herbs and spices
have also been found to help reduce inflammation.
Foods High in Omega-3 Oils:
• Salmon, Tuna, Halibut
Herbs and Spices:
• Basil
• Oysters
• Cinnamon
• Garlic
• Flax seeds (ground), Flax Oil
• Ginger
• Canola Oil
• Mint
• Soybean Oil
• Parsley
4
• Turmeric
5
20
• Walnuts, Walnut Oil
4-
• Cumin
51
• Sardines, Herring
Moderate Fiber
~20 grams daily
As tolerated
Baked potato, no skin
Baked potato, no skin
Garlic
Beets, Carrots
Beets, Carrots
Mashed potatoes, no skin
Cauliflower, Broccoli
Cauliflower, Broccoli
Mashed sweet potatoes, no skin
Cucumber, peeled
Cucumber, peeled
Mushrooms - white
Frozen vegetable mix
Frozen vegetable mix
Onions
Sweet potato, no skin
Roast sweet potato, no skin
Tomato
Turnip, Parsnips, Kohlrabi
Turnip, Parsnips, Kohlrabi
Water chestnuts
Winter squash
Winter squash
Zucchini
se
ea
Pl
1 cup serving per meal
Low Fiber
~10 grams daily
Vegetables
½ cup serving per meal
5/
LYl: 41
N Mai
O and
E edia
,M
PLents
Mocum
D
SAfrom
r
de
or
Soft lettuces
Very Low Fiber
Less than 10 grams daily
1 cup serving per meal
Fruits
½ cup serving per meal
As tolerated
Apple
Apple
Applesauce
Grapes,
Canned fruit
Kiwi fruit
Grapefruit, no membrane
Mango
Mandarin, no membrane
Orange, no membrane
Orange, no membrane
Melon, variety
Papaya
Papaya
Puréed fruit
Grapes
Kiwi fruit
Mango
Strawberries
Tangerine
Strawberries
Brown rice or pasta
Tangerine
Grains and Pasta
White rice or pasta
Cream of wheat
Multigrain Cheerios
Cheerios
Saltines, graham crackers
Instant oatmeal
Instant oatmeal
White bread, English muffin
Wheat bread
White rice, pasta
®
Wheat bread
Fish, seafood
®
Any cereal with less than 2
grams of fiber per serving
Protein: Meat, Poultry, Fish, Eggs, Dairy and Nuts
Fish, seafood
Fish, seafood
51
Chicken, turkey
Chicken, turkey
Eggs
Eggs
Eggs
Creamy nut butters
Creamy nut butters
Creamy nut butters
5
20
Beef, pork: 3 times per month
Beef, pork: 3 times per month
Fats and Oils
Choose olive oil, canola oil, and walnut oil. Oils are heart healthy, so choose any vegetable oil more
often than butter, cream, or cream cheese.
4
Beef, pork: 3 times per month
4-
Chicken, turkey
se
ea
Pl
4
5
20
4-
51
5/
LYl: 41
N Mai
O and
E edia
,M
PLents
Mocum
D
SAfrom
r
de
or