Pancreatitis, inflammation of the pancreas, is a rather dangerous disease that significantly reduces the quality of human life. And an important component in the correct treatment of this unpleasant disease is considered proper nutrition, which has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the organ. What is the diet for pancreatitis - read in our material.
In our articles we collect the latest scientific data and opinions of competent experts in the medical field. But remember: only a doctor can diagnose and prescribe treatment. We want to help people who are faced with diseases of the pancreas (by the way, among office workers and alumni, pancreatitis is in third place "most common") and therefore weI have collected in this article the basic dietary recommendations for pancreatitis and cholecystitis. We also prepared sample menus and some useful recipes. Read it, it will be helpful!
What is pancreatitis?
Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas, which is involved in digestion and regulation of metabolism. This is a "2 in 1" organ, with a complex structure: most of the gland secretes enzymes necessary for the digestion of food into the intestine, also known as the "pancreatic islet" which is an endocrine organ that producesinsulin hormone.
When the pancreas becomes inflamed, the release of enzymes into the duodenum stops. As a result, these aggressive substances are activated in the gland itself and begin to destroy it - this process is often called autodigestion. This releases toxins through the bloodstream to other organs and can damage them. Pancreatitis can be acute or chronic.
Acute pancreatitis
Acute pancreatitis is a dangerous illness that requires immediate treatment, usually in hospital. Most often it occurs due to alcohol abuse or gallstone disease, when a stone clogs the bile duct. The disease is characterized by severe pain in the upper abdomen, sometimes spreading to the back; nausea; vomiting; general worsening condition.
Chronic pancreatitis
When the pancreas is chronically inflamed, this organ is gradually destroyed. The main causes of the disease are drinking alcohol and smoking. The most typical symptom is abdominal pain, often occurring after eating. The pancreas lacks digestive secretions, leading to poorly digested food, bloating, and gas. There is often no appetite and weight may decrease.
Symptoms of pancreatitis
The main symptom of both acute and chronic pancreatitis is upper abdominal pain. Often such pain is overwhelming. In the chronic form, abdominal heaviness, nausea and stool disorders are often seen. The feeling of discomfort leads one to suspect pancreatitis, and then the diagnosis is confirmed with the help of other tests and studies.
Why do you need to diet for pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)?
Diet for pancreatitis in adults is designed to reduce the load on the affected organ so that it can recover. In acute pancreatitis, it is important to reduce enzyme synthesis to prevent destruction of the gland.
Dietary principles for pancreatitis
- Refuse any foods that stimulate the production of enzymes - smoked, spicy, pickled, fried.
- Food should be warm (not cold or hot), mushy.
- Meals should be divided into small portions and portions should be small.
- The main emphasis in the diet is on protein products - a maximum of 200 grams of them should be consumed per day. But fats and carbohydrates are significantly limited.
- The amount of salt is reduced to 3-5 grams, food is not contaminated with salt when cooking.
- Raw foods are excluded. Do not eat fresh vegetables and fruits, only boiled or grilled.
- Carbohydrates are consumed in moderation, but foods containing sugar should be limited.
What diet should people with acute pancreatitis eat?
The diet for acute pancreatitis is as strict as possible: the menu on the first day contains no food at all, only water. After a few days, you can eat small portions of liquid food - vegetable broths and purees, boiled porridge, mucous decoctions, meat purees. You can gradually expand the range of dishes using allowed products.
Diet for chronic pancreatitis
The diet menu for chronic pancreatitis is more diverse but should be followed long term, at least six months. It is believed that during this time, not only will the condition of the pancreas improve, but the patient will also quit all harmful foods, such as fried, smoked and pickled foods.
Traditionally, for chronic pancreatitis, the diet "Table number 5p" is prescribed. The dietary chart system was developed in the 1920s and although it has now been abandoned, many doctors still recommend following its principles.
Diet "Table No. 5" is prescribed for pancreatitis and cholecystitis, but especially to restore the pancreas, it is recommended to apply a special version of this diet - "Table No. 5p". It is distinguished not only by reducing the amount of fat in the diet, but also by limiting carbohydrates. You need to consume a lot of protein: protein is needed for rapid recovery of pancreatic tissue.
The diet for exacerbation of pancreatitis is more strict, it is formed according to the image and similarity of the diet recommended for the acute form of the disease. Pureed foods, small meals, avoiding salt and spices will help you cope with the disease faster.
What you can eat if you have pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
So, it's time to find out what you can eat on your pancreatitis diet to recover quickly and avoid pain. Let us remind you that the list of allowed products varies depending on the stage of the disease. During exacerbation, it is recommended to fast and eat very limited foods, but during remission, more foods are allowed. Low-fat cheese occupies an important place in the diet of people with pancreatitis.
- lean meat (veal, chicken, turkey, rabbit and even lean pork are suitable);
- lean fish (pike, pollock, halibut, cod);
- low-fat cottage cheese, low-fat and light cheese;
- eggs in the form of steamed omelettes made from egg whites (you can eat no more than one yolk per day);
- low-fat fermented milk products;
- milk - low fat only, if tolerated;
- cereals (semolina, rice, oatmeal, buckwheat);
- Stale bread and inedible crackers;
- pasta;
- boiled or baked vegetables (potatoes, beets, carrots, zucchini, pumpkin);
- boiled or baked sweet fruits (apples, bananas, pears);
- Drying fruits;
- jelly, marmalade, honey, jelly - in small quantities.
The list of what you can eat on a diet for pancreatitis is not so short: if you wish, you can easily do it without violations, being content only with those foods that are allowed for a long time. It is worth noting that the recommendations were developed 100 years ago and since then many new products have appeared. They can be added to the menu with caution if they are high in protein and low in fat, such as boiled squid.
What not to eat on a pancreatitis diet
Diet for pancreatitis prescribes serious restrictions in the menu, but this condition can only be improved if you strictly adhere to it, the following foods cannot be included in the diet menu number5 for pancreatitis:
- legumes (the only exception is green beans in moderation, boiled or stewed);
- onions, garlic, radishes, radishes, peppers and other spicy vegetables;
- spinach, sorrel, fresh herbs;
- all types of cabbage;
- mushroom;
- citrus fruits;
- sauces and pickles;
- carbonated drinks, packaged fruit juices (it is better not to drink fresh juices);
- wine;
- coffee and cocoa;
- ready-made sauces, mayonnaise;
- fast food;
- fresh bread, baked goods;
- any confectionery products;
- cream;
- fatty meat and fish;
- sausages and delicacies;
- caviar;
- Canned food;
- Bacon;
- meat, fish, mushroom broth.
With exacerbation of pancreatitis, the diet becomes even more strict, and even those foods that can be safely included in the diet during remission can be introduced. on the list of prohibited foods. Here you need to listen to the advice of your doctor.
Diet for chronic pancreatitis (pancreatitis): sample menu for a week
We present an approximate diet for chronic pancreatitis for a week. This is not dogma but simply a guideline for those who want to restore the pancreas with proper nutrition.
Monday
- Breakfast: a sandwich made from stale bread with low-fat cheese, a bowl of porridge with water or diluted milk.
- Second breakfast: portion of low-fat cottage cheese with dried fruit.
- Lunch: vegetable soup, steamed beef cutlet with mashed potatoes on water with a small piece of butter.
- Afternoon snack: baked apples.
- Dinner: boiled lean fish, steamed vegetables.
Tuesday
- Breakfast: oatmeal with water
- Second breakfast: baked sweet apple puree
- Lunch: cream of vegetable soup, steamed chicken breast; berry jelly.
- Afternoon snack: low-fat yogurt.
- Dinner: steamed omelet with vegetables.
Wednesday
- Breakfast: cottage cheese with dried fruit
- Second breakfast: banana
- Lunch: rice and vegetable soup; Steamed rabbit meatballs, mixed sauce.
- Afternoon snack: apple jelly, cookies.
- Dinner: steamed fish, pureed vegetables.
Thursday
- Breakfast: porridge, boiled eggs.
- Second breakfast: yogurt, baked apple.
- Lunch: soup with pasta; Fish meatballs with pureed vegetables.
- Afternoon snack: sandwich with low-fat cheese.
- Dinner: lazy cheese dumplings, some sour cream.
Friday
- Breakfast: cheese with a spoonful of honey or jam.
- Second breakfast: steamed white omelet.
- Lunch: mashed potato soup, roast beef with steamed vegetables, jelly.
- Afternoon snack: dried fruit.
- Dinner: lean fish, rice.
Saturday
- Breakfast: semolina porridge, soft boiled eggs
- Second breakfast: yogurt.
- Lunch: fish soup with rice, stewed rabbit with potatoes, stew.
- Afternoon snack: cheese stew.
- Dinner: cheese sandwich, protein steamed omelet.
Sunday
- Breakfast: buckwheat porridge.
- Second breakfast: baked apples.
- Lunch: pumpkin cream soup, steamed beef cutlet, pasta.
- Afternoon snack: jelly, cookies.
- Dinner: cheese, boiled vegetables.
Diet for the pancreas: recipes
Although there is a limited variety of products, a diet for pancreatitis can be quite varied. We offer some ideas for inspiration.
Ingredient:
- Rice in bags;
- Potato;
- Carrot;
- Pumpkin;
- Salt.
Preparation: boil the rice water - cook the rice in a pot with plenty of water, then take out the bag. Mash the carrots, chop the remaining vegetables, put everything in a pan with rice water, add rice, cook until the vegetables are cooked. Add salt, stir well, turn off. If necessary, grind everything in a blender.
fish quenelle
- lean fish fillet;
- white biscuits;
- Milk;
- Egg-white;
- Salt.
Preparation: grind the fish in a meat grinder, soak the biscuits in milk, also pass through a meat grinder, mix with minced fish. Beat egg whites until foamy, then add to minced meat, add salt and mix well. Form round quenelles from the resulting minced meat. Then boil or steam them.
Pumpkin puree soup with oats
Ingredient:
- Pumpkin;
- Potato;
- Hercules;
- Cream;
- A little oil for stewing.
Preparation: cut the pumpkin and potatoes, simmer in a deep bowl with a small amount of oil, making sure they do not burn. Add salt, add rolled oats, add water, stir well, simmer until rolled oats are cooked. Pass the contents of the pan through a blender, add to the pan, add the cream and simmer for a few more minutes. Can be served with breadcrumbs.
According to reviews, implementing a diet for pancreatitis is not easy, at least during the pureed food phase, but with its help you can achieve real remission. the stability. Patients note that they feel much better when following such a diet.
Results of treatment of chronic pancreatitis with diet
In case of chronic pancreatitis, the diet is prescribed not for a week or a month, but for at least six months. People often advise you to limit your intake of foods that are harmful to your life so as not to aggravate the condition.
Together with other treatment methods, diet for the pancreas has a beneficial effect on this organ and promotes its rapid recovery. The longer there are no exacerbations, the more boldly you can expand the diet for pancreatitis, including all new products.
In some cases, the pancreas is completely restored thanks to timely treatment and diet, and after the end of treatment you can return to your usual diet. However, it is better to give up unhealthy habits and choose PP dishes even after full recovery.
The number of different diets is countless. Some of them are prescribed for therapeutic purposes, and some are aimed at reducing body weight. Human nutrition, like any other organism, affects its health, because food composition and saturation of necessary vitamins and trace elements determine normal physiological capabilities. often. Any restrictions, both in composition and quantity, will certainly affect our body. Each disease has its own development mechanism and accordingly, the nutritional regimen must also be different.
The pancreatitis diet aims to reduce inflammation in the pancreas. The sooner you start following it, the better the results you can expect. During the acute phase, fasting can be applied, but usually it lasts no more than two to three days. After that, foods that minimize fat are introduced very smoothly. Lean meats and poultry without skin (veal, lean beef, chicken, rabbit, turkey, etc. ) are suitable. For decoration, you can use buckwheat, barley, mashed potatoes, stewed vegetables. Fried, spicy, salty foods, baked goods, refractory fats (lamb, pork, goose, duck, fatty beef, poultry skin, margarine, mayonnaise) can contribute to aggravation of the condition. new medical condition.
Additional use of enzyme therapy will improve the condition. Tablet and microtablet preparations are more effective. The usual dose is about 25, 000 units. The diet described above has the right to exist, but if its use is reasonable and followed only for a short time. Stability of pancreatitis is indicative of a planned and gradual expansion of the diet.