Fruits in acute and chronic pancreatitis

Pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas, which produces important digestive enzymes, is considered a disease of people with an improper diet and diet, as well as those who abuse alcoholic beverages. It is clear that the treatment of the disease is primarily based on changing eating habits with the help of a diet. And since the diet for pancreatitis is quite strict, many patients are concerned about how useful and safe fruits will be for pancreatitis, because due to their characteristics, these valuable foods can have an irritating effect on the inflamed organ.

Is it possible to eat fruit if you have pancreatitis?

It is not so easy to answer this seemingly logical question, because pancreatitis can occur in different forms, the approach to treatment of which differs significantly. And fruits have different properties, which makes it impossible to talk about them in general terms.

Let's start with the fact that acute pancreatitis, which in 99% of cases develops as a result of alcohol abuse, is a rather dangerous condition that requires active emergency treatment in a hospital setting. It is clear that there can be no talk of any fruits at this time. The most effective way to treat acute pancreatitis is fasting. You need to give the pancreas a chance to rest so that it can recover faster.

Fruits can be included in the menu for acute pancreatitis only after the condition has stabilized. And then they will have to be introduced into your diet gradually, first in the form of compotes and kissels (the fruits themselves are removed from them, because they contain fiber, which is heavy for the pancreas), puree from baked fruits without skin, then add non-acidic diluted fruit and fruit and berry juices. Only when the pancreas has fully recovered, mashed and then whole fresh fruits of fruit trees are included in the menu.

In chronic cases of the disease, it is also recommended to be careful with fruits. Pancreatitis is a pathology characterized by seasonal (and not only) periods of exacerbation. Exacerbations of chronic pancreatitis, although they occur in a milder form than acute pancreatitis, are still no less dangerous. Although inpatient treatment of exacerbations is not always required, you will have to be as careful as possible in choosing food products.

The first 2 days after the onset of exacerbation, you should try to give the pancreas a rest by refusing food altogether. And is there any point in eating if you are constantly tormented by nausea and vomiting? But even if there is no vomiting, nutrition can consist of drinking clean water (natural mineral water without gas is possible) or weak rosehip decoction up to 0.5 liters per day.

Fruits, or rather only liquid or semi-liquid dishes made from them, are included in the diet when the patient's condition has noticeably improved. At first, preference is given to unsweetened compotes and kissels. Adding sugar will cause an increase in blood glucose levels, since the diseased pancreas cannot yet produce insulin in sufficient quantities, which is necessary to convert glucose into energy.

Next, pureed boiled or baked fruits and non-store-bought fruit juices without added sugar are added to the diet. Further improvement in the condition allows you to expand the fruit menu, including mousses, puddings, jellies from natural juices and other delicious desserts based on fruits and berries.

In the period between exacerbations, the choice of fruits and dishes from them is quite large, because fruits are not only a tasty dessert, but also a valuable source of substances useful for the body (primarily vitamins and minerals). However, in everything you need to observe the measure and adhere to certain rules when choosing fruits.

What fruits can you eat if you have pancreatitis?

It is difficult to imagine a complete diet without fruits. It is the lack of fruits and berries, as well as the loss of their beneficial properties during storage, that causes spring vitamin deficiency. Not everything can be compensated for by early greens, and especially in July-August, when there is little juicy greens left.

And is it possible to imagine a happy life without fruits, a source of joy and pleasure? No, you can’t refuse to eat fruits, even with such a pathology as pancreatitis, which requires strict adherence to a diet. You can exclude fruits from your diet only for a short time, while the disease is in an acute stage.

And the diet for pancreatitis does not exclude absolutely all fruits. It contains a rather long list of permitted plant products, among which there are also many fruits.

So what fruits can be consumed with pancreatitis without fear of further harming your health? First, let's look at the general requirements for fruits and methods of their preparation for this pathology.

So, fruits on the table of patients with pancreatitis should be only ripe and soft. If only the skin is tough, it should be removed. Any fruits and berries should be thoroughly chewed, rubbed through a sieve or chopped in a blender, so they will create less stress on the pancreas.

It is not allowed to eat sour fruits or those that contain hard fiber (usually these are hard varieties of apples and pears or unripe fruits). Sour fruits irritate the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract, and hard fruits contain hard-to-digest fiber, and thus complicate the work of the pancreas.

But you shouldn't get carried away with very sweet fruits either, because the inflamed pancreas is not yet able to control the blood sugar level. In addition, sugar is as irritating as acid.

Let's say right away that not all fruits are recommended to be consumed fresh. For example, many varieties of apples are preferably baked beforehand, despite the fact that some vitamins are lost in this process. By the way, baked apples are preferable for the pancreas than fresh ones.

However, canned fruits, canned juices and compotes should not be consumed by patients with pancreatitis, regardless of the type and characteristics of the fruit used.

Fruits for chronic pancreatitis

As we have already figured out, doctors allow fruits to be consumed during pancreatitis only during the period of remission, when the patient's condition has stabilized and the inflammation has subsided. Let's now take a closer look at the question of what fruits can be eaten with chronic pancreatitis.

Apples. This popular fruit in our region is liked by both children and adults. But the problem is that apples of different varieties do not ripen at the same time, and summer and winter varieties differ in their characteristics.

Summer varieties are softer. Their skin is more pliable, and the pulp is loose. These varieties are rather sweet than sour. This means that such fruits can be safely consumed with pancreatitis, if possible, after peeling them.

Apricot. This is a rather sweet fruit with a soft juicy pulp. It is suitable for the menu of patients with pancreatitis. However, some wild fruits have hard veins inside, so they need to be rubbed through a sieve.

Sweet cherry. This is the same sweet cherry with a slight sourness, which does not irritate the digestive organs, and therefore is allowed for pancreatitis.

Plum. Ripe fruits of this fruit without pronounced acidity can be included in the diet of patients with pancreatitis. Eat without skin.

Peach. This aromatic fruit is recommended for use during remission, as it helps restore the body after an illness. It is permissible to eat ripe fruits without skin.

Pears. Ripe summer fruits with loose, juicy or starchy pulp are allowed.

Bananas. You can eat them fresh without any problems. You should give preference to ripe fruits, which are recommended even during the subsidence of the acute phase of the disease.

Tangerines. Among citrus fruits, it is recommended to give preference to them in case of pancreatitis, because they are the sweetest (unlike other more sour overseas fruits from the citrus category), and therefore have the least irritating effect on the gastrointestinal tract.

Pineapples. This overseas fruit can be consumed in limited quantities, choosing the ripest and softest slices. It is consumed fresh and heat-treated as part of dishes. It is better not to put canned pineapples on the table with pancreatitis.

Avocado. A source of vegetable fats, which are easier for the body to digest than animal fats, which means that such a healthy fruit cannot be excluded from the diet. However, its pulp is a bit hard, which makes it possible to eat it only during remission.

The diet of patients with chronic pancreatitis can be diversified with berries, which are used fresh (mashed), added to desserts, jelly, compotes and even meat dishes, used as raw material for juices and fruit drinks. It is allowed to eat grapes (not in the form of juice and without seeds), black currants and gooseberries (mashed to remove seeds), blueberries, bilberries and lingonberries (used to make drinks and desserts), rose hips (in the form of a decoction), strawberries and raspberries (in small portions only during the remission phase, mashed, without seeds). Viburnum berries can be used in limited quantities as an anti-inflammatory agent.

Some fruits are removed from the diet during an exacerbation and returned to the menu only after stable remission has been achieved. The possibility of their use must be discussed with a doctor.

These fruits include: persimmon (this is a very sweet fruit that can cause constipation), sweet oranges (best consumed in the form of diluted juice), non-acidic winter apples (they are eaten only after heat treatment, which is done to make the fruit softer and easier to digest).

Mango is a very sweet fruit, which you need to be careful with, because it causes a sharp increase in blood sugar. This fruit is acceptable to eat occasionally and in small quantities when the inflammation in the pancreas has subsided and it has begun to function normally.

An overseas fruit called kiwi can also be consumed during remission, no more than 1-2 small ripe fruits. The skin must be cut off, and the pulp must be rubbed through a sieve to remove small coarse seeds. During an exacerbation, the fruit is not consumed even at a subsiding stage.

What fruits should not be eaten with pancreatitis?

As we can see, the diet of patients with chronic pancreatitis in the stable stage is quite varied, however, not all fruits known in our country were named. This suggests that even fruits that are useful in a normal situation are not always useful and safe during illness. And since pancreatitis in most cases becomes chronic, then giving up "harmful" fruits should become a lifestyle for the patient.

In case of pancreatitis, it is not allowed to eat unripe hard fruits. Fruits with a pronounced sour taste are also excluded from the diet, as well as those that can provoke a bowel disorder (diarrhea or constipation).

The list of such products is small, but they exist:

• unripe fruits of summer and winter apple varieties (high fiber content),
• sour and hard winter apples (high in fiber and acid),
• winter varieties of pears (allowed only after they have been stored and become softer, the skin is removed in any case),
• unripe kiwi fruits,
• pomegranate and pomegranate juice (high acid content),
• grapefruit with its strong irritating and stimulating effect on the digestive tract (diluted juice can be used in dishes, you can eat 2-3 slices of the sweetest fruit 1 or 2 times a week),
• cherry (also contains a lot of acid),
• quince (high fiber content),
• lemon (one of the most sour fruits, therefore it is strictly prohibited for pancreatitis), as well as lemon juice.
• Among the berries prohibited are cranberries and sea buckthorn, which are famous for their very strong sour taste, as well as any other sour berries.

The most categorical attitude of doctors to the use of lemon and pomegranate in pancreatitis. Other fruits can be included in the diet not fresh, but thermally processed as part of various dishes, drinks and desserts. It is important to pay attention to your well-being. If the use of any fruit causes discomfort in the stomach and pancreas (heaviness, pain, nausea), it is better to refuse it altogether.

From all of the above, we conclude: it is not only possible to eat fruit with pancreatitis, but also necessary. It is important to monitor your condition. During periods of exacerbation of the disease, we refuse to eat fresh fruit at all, starting to eat them in liquid and mashed form when the dangerous symptoms subside. During remission, we adhere to the rule: the fruit on the table should be ripe, soft enough, not sour, but not too sweet. And most importantly, you should not eat fresh fruit on an empty stomach or in large quantities, preference should be given to fruit compotes and jelly, as well as boiled, stewed or steamed fruit, not forgetting about other healthy foods.