Pancreatitis, inflammation of the pancreas, is a rather dangerous disease that significantly deteriorates the quality of life of people. And an important element of the correct treatment of this unpleasant disease is considered to be proper nutrition, which has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the organ. What should be the diet for pancreatitis - read our material.
Don't self-medicate! In our articles, we collect the latest scientific data and authoritative expert opinions in the field of health. But remember: only a doctor can make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment. We want to help those who are faced with diseases of the pancreas (by the way, among office workers and former students, pancreatitis occupies the third place "in popularity") and therefore we have collected in this articlebasic recommendations on diet for pancreatitis and cholecystitis. We have also prepared sample menus and several useful recipes. Read it, it will be useful to you!
What is pancreatitis
Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas, which participates in the digestion process and also regulates metabolism. This is a "2 in 1" organ, it has a complex structure: most of the gland secretes enzymes necessary for digestion of food in the intestines, and the "pancreatic islets" are an endocrine organ thatproduces the hormone insulin. .
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 self-digestion. This releases toxins that travel through the blood to other organs and can damage them. Pancreatitis can be acute or chronic.
Acute inflammation of the pancreas
Acute pancreatitis is a dangerous disease that requires immediate treatment, usually in a hospital setting. Most often this happens due to alcohol abuse or gallstone disease, when a stone blocks the duct. The disease is characterized by intense pain in the upper abdomen, sometimes radiating to the back; nausea; to vomit; general deterioration of condition.
Chronic pancreatitis
With chronic inflammation of the pancreas, the organ is gradually destroyed. The main causes of the disease are alcohol consumption and smoking. The most typical manifestation is abdominal pain, which usually occurs after eating. Lack of digestive secretion from the pancreas leads to poor digestion of food, flatulence and bloating. There is often no appetite and weight may decrease.
Symptoms of pancreatitis
The main symptom of acute and chronic inflammation of the pancreas is pain in the upper abdomen. Often, these pains surround. In the chronic form, we often observe heaviness in the stomach, nausea and stool disorders. Unpleasant sensations make one suspect pancreatitis, then the diagnosis is confirmed using tests and other studies.
Why do you need a diet for pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)?
The 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 also important to reduce the synthesis of enzymes to stop the process of destroying the gland.
Diet principles for pancreatitis
- Refusal of any foods that provoke the production of enzymes - smoked, spicy, pickled, fried.
- Food should be lukewarm (neither cold nor hot), mushy.
- Meals should be split, portions should be small.
- The main emphasis of the diet is on protein products - up to 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 salted during cooking.
- Raw foods are excluded. Fresh fruits and vegetables cannot be eaten, only boiled or baked ones.
- Carbohydrates are consumed in moderation, but foods containing sugar should be limited.
What should be the diet for acute pancreatitis?
The diet for acute pancreatitis is as strict as possible: the menu on the first day does not include any food, only water. After a few days, you can eat small portions of liquid foods - vegetable broths and purees, boiled porridges, mucous decoctions, liquid meat purees. You can gradually expand the range of dishes using permitted products.
Diet for chronic pancreatitis
The diet menu for chronic pancreatitis is more varied, but it is recommended to adhere to it for a long time, at least six months. It is believed that during this time not only the condition of the pancreas will improve, but the patient will also wean himself from all kinds of harmful foods, such as fried, smoked and pickled foods.
Traditionally, for chronic pancreatitis, the "Table No. 5p" diet is prescribed. The diet table system was developed in the 1920s, and although it has been abandoned, many doctors still recommend adhering to the principles of these diets.
The diet "Table No. 5" is prescribed for pancreatitis and cholecystitis, but especially for the restoration of the pancreas, a special version of this diet is recommended - "Table No. 5p". It is distinguished not only by a reduced amount of fats in the diet, but also by limiting carbohydrates. It is necessary to consume a lot of protein: proteins are necessary for the rapid restoration of pancreatic tissue.
The diet for exacerbation of pancreatitis is more strict, it is formed in the image and likeness of the diet recommended for the acute form of the disease. Pureed foods, fractional meals, avoiding salt and spices will help you cope with the disease faster.
What can you eat if you have pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
So, it's time to figure out what you can eat on a pancreatitis diet in order to recover quickly and avoid painful attacks. Remember that the list of authorized products varies depending on the stage of the disease. During exacerbations, it is recommended to fast and eat a very limited range of foods, but during the period of remission, much more foods are allowed. Low-fat cottage cheese occupies an important place in the diet of people suffering from pancreatitis.
- lean meat (veal, chicken, turkey, rabbit and even lean pork are suitable);
- lean fish (pike, pollock, plaice, cod);
- low-fat cottage cheese, low-fat and mild cheese;
- eggs in the form of a steamed omelet made from whites (you cannot eat more than one yolk per day);
- low-fat fermented milk products;
- milk – only low fat, if tolerated;
- cereals (semolina, rice, oatmeal, buckwheat);
- stale bread, inedible crackers;
- Pasta;
- boiled or baked vegetables (potatoes, beets, carrots, zucchini, pumpkin);
- boiled or baked sweet fruits (apples, bananas, pears);
- dried fruits;
- jelly, marmalade, honey, jelly - in small quantities.
The list of what you can eat on a pancreatitis diet is not so short: if you wish, you can easily do without violations, being content with permitted foods for a long time. It should be noted 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 contain a lot of protein and little fat, like boiled squid.
What not to eat on a diet for pancreatitis
The diet for pancreatitis prescribes serious restrictions on the menu, but improvement in the condition can be expected only if you strictly follow them. The following foods cannot be included in diet menu No. 5 for pancreatitis:
- legumes (the only exception is green beans in moderation, boiled or simmered);
- onions, garlic, radishes, radishes, peppers and other vegetables with a spicy taste;
- spinach, sorrel, fresh herbs;
- all kinds of cabbage;
- mushrooms;
- sour fruits;
- marinades and pickles;
- soft drinks, packaged fruit juices (it is also better not to drink fresh fruit juice);
- alcohol;
- coffee and cocoa;
- ready-made sauces, mayonnaise;
- Fast food;
- fresh bread, baked goods;
- all confectionery products;
- ice;
- fatty meats and fish;
- sausages and treats;
- caviar;
- canned food;
- smoked meats;
- meat, fish, mushroom broths.
With an exacerbation of pancreatitis of the pancreas, the diet becomes even stricter, and even foods that can be safely included in the diet during remission can be included in the list of prohibited foods. Here you need to listen to your doctor's recommendations.
Diet for chronic pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas): sample menu for a week
We present an approximate diet for chronic pancreatitis for a week. This is not a dogma, but simply a guideline for those who want to restore the pancreas through proper nutrition.
Monday
- Breakfast: a sandwich made from day-old bread with low-fat cheese, a bowl of porridge with water or diluted milk.
- Second breakfast: a portion of low-fat cottage cheese with dried fruits.
- Lunch: vegetable soup, steamed beef escalope with mashed potatoes on water with a small piece of butter.
- Afternoon snack: baked apple.
- Dinner: boiled lean fish, steamed vegetables allowed.
Tuesday
- Breakfast: oatmeal with water
- Second breakfast: baked sweet apple puree
- Lunch: vegetable soup, steamed chicken breast; berry jelly.
- Afternoon snack: low-fat yogurt.
- Dinner: steamed omelette with vegetables.
Wednesday
- Breakfast: cottage cheese casserole with dried fruits
- Second breakfast: banana
- Lunch: rice and vegetable soup; steamed rabbit meatballs, compote.
- Afternoon snack: apple jelly, biscuits.
- Dinner: steamed fish, vegetable puree.
THURSDAY
- Breakfast: rice porridge, boiled egg.
- Second breakfast: yogurt, baked apple.
- Lunch: pasta soup; fish balls with vegetable puree.
- Afternoon snack: low-fat cheese sandwich.
- Dinner: lazy cottage cheese balls, a little sour cream.
Friday
- Breakfast: cottage cheese with a spoon of honey or jam.
- Second breakfast: omelette with steamed egg whites.
- Lunch: mashed potatoes, baked beef with steamed vegetables, jelly.
- Afternoon snack: dried fruit compote.
- Dinner: lean fish dumplings, rice.
SATURDAY
- Breakfast: semolina porridge, soft-boiled egg
- Second breakfast: yogurt.
- Lunch: fish soup with rice, stewed rabbit with potatoes, compote.
- Afternoon snack: cottage cheese casserole.
- Dinner: cheese sandwich, steamed protein omelette.
Sunday
- Breakfast: buckwheat porridge.
- Second breakfast: baked apple.
- Lunch: pumpkin soup, steamed beef escalopes, pasta.
- Afternoon snack: jelly, biscuits.
- Dinner: cottage cheese, boiled vegetables.
Diet for the pancreas: recipes
Despite the limited range of products, the diet for pancreatitis can be very varied. We offer you some ideas for inspiration.
Ingredients:
- Rice in bags;
- Potato;
- Carrot;
- Pumpkin;
- Salt.
Preparation: prepare rice water - cook the rice in a saucepan with plenty of water, then take out the sachets. Grate the carrots, chop the rest of the vegetables, put everything in a saucepan with rice water, add rice to it, cook until the vegetables are ready. Add salt, stir, turn off. If necessary, grind everything in a blender.
Fish dumplings
- Lean fish fillet;
- white crackers;
- Milk;
- Egg white;
- Salt.
Preparation: grind the fish in a meat grinder, dip the crackers in milk, also pass through a meat grinder, mix with chopped fish. Beat the egg white until foamy, add to the minced meat, salt and mix. Form round dumplings from the minced meat obtained. Then boil or steam them.
Pumpkin puree soup with oatmeal
Ingredients:
- Pumpkin;
- Potato;
- Hercules;
- Cream;
- A little oil for stewing.
Preparation: cut the pumpkin and potatoes, simmer in a deep bowl with a little oil, making sure they do not burn. Salt, add the oatmeal, add the water, stir, simmer until the oatmeal is ready. Place the contents of the saucepan in a blender, return it to the saucepan, add the cream and simmer for a few more minutes. Can be served with breadcrumbs.
According to reviews, it is not very easy to follow a diet for pancreatitis, at least in the pureed food phase, but with its help you can achieve truly stable remission. Patients note that they feel much better with 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. It is most often recommended to limit yourself to harmful foods for life, so as not to provoke an exacerbation.
Combined with other methods of treatment, a diet for the pancreas has a beneficial effect on the organ and promotes its rapid recovery. The more there are no exacerbations, the more you can expand your diet for pancreatitis, including any new products.
In some cases, the pancreas is completely restored through timely treatment and diet, and then after the end of treatment you can return to your usual eating style. Still, it is better to abandon unhealthy habits and choose PP dishes even after complete recovery.
The number of different diets cannot be counted. Some of them are prescribed for therapeutic purposes, and others are aimed at reducing body weight. Human nutrition, like any other organism, affects its health, since the composition of food and saturation with the necessary vitamins and microelements determine the possibility of having normal physiology. Any restrictions, both in composition and quantity, inevitably affect our body. Each disease has its own mechanism of development, and therefore nutrition should also be different.
The pancreatitis diet aims to reduce inflammation of the pancreas. The sooner you start following it, the better results you can expect. In the acute stage, fasting can be used, but it usually lasts no more than two to three days. Then foods with maximum fat restriction are gently introduced. Lean varieties of skinless meat and poultry (veal, lean beef, chicken, rabbit, turkey, etc. ) are suitable. For the filling, you can use buckwheat, barley, mashed potatoes, stewed vegetables. Fried, spicy, salty foods, pastries, refractory fats (lamb, pork, goose, duck, fatty beef, poultry skin, margarine, mayonnaise) can contribute to further exacerbation.
Using additional enzyme therapy will improve the condition. Minimicrosphere and microtablet preparations are more effective. The usual dose is around 25, 000 units. The diet described above has the right to exist, but if its use is justified and it is followed only for a short time. Stabilization of the condition with pancreatitis is an indication for planned and gradual expansion of the diet.