Chapter 08 · Treatment & Daily Care

Nutrition in Crohn’s Disease

What you eat can help support your overall well-being and ease symptoms — especially during flare-ups.

There’s no specific diet that causes or cures Crohn’s. But general dietary recommendations can help you stay symptom-free between flare-ups and ease symptoms during a flare.

Two nutrition approaches

🥗

Non-therapeutic diets

General everyday recommendations

Not part of a specific treatment
Can help maintain remission

🍽️

Therapeutic diets

Part of the medical treatment plan

Shown to reduce inflammation and support healing
Can lead to remission
Examples: EEN and CDED

🩺

Dietary recommendations should consider complications like strictures, which may limit how easily food passes through the intestines. If a specific diet is needed, a nutritionist will provide guidance and support.

Non-therapeutic diet — general recommendations

🌿

Mediterranean diet

A simple, balanced way of eating that supports gut health

Fresh fruits and vegetables — e.g. berries, peeled apples, spinach, zucchini
Non-saturated fats — e.g. olive oil, avocado, fatty fish like salmon or sardines, nuts (if tolerated)
Complex carbohydrates — e.g. oats, brown rice, sweet potatoes, whole-grain bread
Lean proteins — e.g. chicken, fish, eggs, tofu, lentils
Limit processed foods and sugar — e.g. fast food, soda, packaged snacks

Therapeutic diets

🥤

EEN — Exclusive Enteral Nutrition

A treatment option during flare-ups

EEN is sometimes used as a treatment during flare-ups. The constant flow of formula helps the body absorb nutrients and reduces stomach pain.

Administered as a drink (formula) — or through a nasogastric tube (a small tube gently inserted through the nose into the stomach) if drinking the daily amount isn’t manageable
Only liquids/formula for several weeks, then solid foods are slowly reintroduced under your medical team’s guidance

🍎

CDED — Crohn’s Disease Exclusion Diet

A structured diet your team guides you through

CDED can be combined with a formula/liquid diet as “partial enteral nutrition” (PEN). Specific foods are excluded or limited, and the diet is structured in phases — your medical team and nutritionist will guide you through which foods are included and how the phases work for your situation.

Nutrition during a flare-up

Eating and drinking enough during a flare-up can be difficult. Focus on foods that are easy to digest, high-calorie, and nutrient-rich — your body needs more of them during flare-ups.

💧

Most important

Drink plenty of fluids! Avoid foods that may worsen your symptoms by stimulating the bowels.

✅ What to eat during a flare-up

White bread
White rice
Eggs
Fish
Chicken
Well-cooked vegetables without seeds or skin
Fruits without seeds or skin (e.g. peeled banana or apple)

⚠️ What to limit or avoid during a flare-up

Whole grains
Processed food
High-fiber vegetables (e.g. broccoli, cabbage)
Fatty or fried foods (e.g. fried chicken, heavy sauces)
Spicy foods (if they bother you)

How strict to be depends on how strong your flare is — your medical team or nutritionist can help you find the right balance.

If gaining weight is difficult, your team may suggest supplementary enteral nutrition or high-calorie shakes.

💛

TeenHealthInsight is a health education website — not a substitute for medical advice. Any questions or worries about your nutrition or symptoms should be brought to your doctor or gastroenterologist. Trust your gut (literally) — if something feels off, reach out to your medical team.