Vegetables in pancreatitis: recommendations of nutritionists

By limiting the consumption of certain foods, the diet helps to treat patients with diseases of the digestive organs, including inflammation of the pancreas. In addition to fatty, spicy and fried, there is a restriction on vegetables in pancreatitis.

Knowing exactly which vegetables can and cannot be consumed, it is possible not only to greatly improve the condition of this most important organ of the digestive and endocrine system, but also to prevent the recurrence of acute pancreatitis. [1]

What vegetables should not be eaten with pancreatitis?

The functional specificity of the pancreas and the nature of its damage due to inflammation lead, on the one hand, to the release of excessive amounts of trypsin enzyme (or, more precisely, to its premature activation) and autophagy of the organ's own cells. On the other hand, when the inflammatory process becomes chronic, the exocrine function of the pancreas is impaired, leading to a deficiency of pancreatic enzymes (lipase, amylase, protease) necessary for normal digestion.

That is why in this disease regulated and food diet and methods of cooking food. And in gastroenterology has long been recognized diet in chronic pancreatitis as part of treatment, and the most important. Usually patients are prescribed diet 5 for pancreatitis (#5P according to Pevzner). [2]

A special dietary approach is used and to the use of vegetables that can be present in the diet - in acute inflammation, its remission or chronic form of pancreatitis.

Giving a negative answer to the question of whether you can eat raw vegetables in pancreatitis, nutritionists give a strong argument: not heat-treated fibrous vegetable tissue (fiber) although not digested in the stomach, but have a stimulating effect on the digestive system, including the pancreas, and with its inflammation is inadmissible. On the contrary, it is necessary to reduce the load to a minimum - especially in acute pancreatitis or exacerbation of the chronic form of the disease And this can be achieved if vegetables in pancreatitis cook, bake or stew without fat and spices. But do not fry!

Not only that, even processed in the process of cooking fiber does not cause additional release of digestive enzymes, vegetables should be maximally homogenized, that is, chopped to a puree - to facilitate digestion. As the condition of the gland stabilizes, during the period of weakening of the inflammatory process (remission) switch to the use of less chopped boiled and stewed vegetables, and then some raw vegetables.

But restrictions on the range of vegetable crops in the diet still remain, and they apply, for example, to white cabbage, see - Cabbage in pancreatitis.

Because of the ability of all cruciferous vegetables to cause flatulence, nutritionists also do not recommend eating cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi and broccoli for pancreatitis.

By the way, the same family of cruciferous include radishes, radishes, turnips, rutabagas and turnips, and, in addition to bloating of the stomach, they increase the release of gastric juice (and after it - and pancreatic enzymes), so turnips in pancreatitis is forbidden. [3]

Also in the list of forbidden nutritionists included sorrel, leaf lettuce, spinach, onions (raw) and, despite all the useful properties, garlic in pancreatitis.

Regular beans in pancreatitis, as well as string beans from the diet are excluded because of the gas-forming effect of legumes.

Although corn and mushrooms are not related to vegetable crops, but it is worth considering the following: neither canned nor boiled corn in pancreatitis is not consumed, since even for a healthy GI tract is considered a hard-to-digest cereal. Also do not use corn oil in this diagnosis.

As for basidial macromycetes, such as mushrooms, opiates or chanterelles, mushrooms in pancreatitis are justifiably included in the list of absolute prohibitions. The fact is that the cell membranes of mushroom pulp consist of chitin fibers, which are not digested in the stomach.

When is dietary compromise possible?

There are a number of popular vegetable crops that can be included in the diet when coming out of an acute condition (after surviving for three to four weeks) and long-lasting weakening/absence of symptoms in the case of chronic pancreatitis.

Only under these conditions, nutritionists allow - not often and in small quantities - sweet bell peppers in pancreatitis: baked or stewed (without skins).

In the form of stewed caviar (from blanched and peeled from the skin of the fruit) or mixed with boiled carrots stew allowed eggplant in pancreatitis.

As a side dish (mashed potatoes) or as an ingredient in vegetable soup, you can use green peas in pancreatitis, but only not daily and in small quantities.

Due to terpene compounds of essential oil and rough fiber, celery should not be consumed in acute pancreatitis. However, when pancreatitis is chronic, then in the absence of symptoms occasionally - to avoid constipation - you can eat soup with the addition of celery root, as well as include it in the menu in boiled form (in the process of cooking fibers soften and do not cause irritation and increase intestinal peristalsis). [4]

Can tomatoes in pancreatitis, read in detail in the article - Tomatoes in chronic pancreatitis, and at the same time see. - Cucumbers in pancreatitis

What vegetables with pancreatitis can be eaten?

According to nutritionists, vegetables in pancreatitis can provide the body with nutrients (carbohydrates, vitamins, macro- and microelements), but should not burden the inflamed pancreas.

Clinical studies have revealed that most patients with this diagnosis have chronic metabolic acidosis associated with poor diet or alcohol abuse - a decrease in blood pH (hydrogen ion activity) to the acidic side, which negatively affects the body's ability to maintain acid-base balance.

Organic, fruity or alpha-hydroxy acids and their salts found in vegetables are converted to alkaline carbonates in the body and can help solve the biochemical problem of acidosis - by alkalizing pancreatic juice (to a pH level of 7.1-8.2), which normalizes the activity of its proteolytic enzymes.

So, carrots in pancreatitis (even cooked) - a valuable source of carbohydrates, minerals (calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, zinc, iron), carotenoids, folate, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and sugars. In addition, root vegetables contain anthocyanins and caffeic phenolic acid, which are active against free radicals and reduce inflammation, as well as organic acids - succinic acid and oxyanic acid (malic acid) - in the form of acidic salts that promote alkalinization.

Like raw carrots, raw beets in pancreatitis are not consumed, but only boiled or baked. Details in the article - Beets in pancreatitis.

You can eat steamed or stewed zucchini with pancreatitis, which even after freezing retain their antioxidant effects and do not lose folic and ascorbic acid, potassium, magnesium, calcium and phosphorus. True, their skins contain a lot of fiber, but heat treatment increases its digestibility without consequences for the digestive organs in patients with pancreatic and gallbladder problems. [5]

It is obligatory to consume potatoes in pancreatitis. Due to its starch content, it is a nutritious product, and due to the presence of organic acids (oxalic, citric, malic, fumaric and ascorbic acids) and pH ≤6.1, potatoes are a moderately alkaline-forming food.

Neither fried nor raw potatoes with pancreatitis are not used: only as an ingredient of first dishes (boiled), mashed potatoes, stew, and baked.

Do not drink and juice of raw potatoes with pancreatitis: this is a home remedy for heartburn with increased acidity of gastric juice.

An ideal dietary product is considered pumpkin in pancreatitis. All of its useful substances are difficult to list, but the undoubted health benefits include the presence of powerful antioxidants - beta-carotene, alpha-tocopherol and ascorbic acid; riboflavin, thiamine, folic acid and pyridoxine; potassium, copper, magnesium, iron and phosphorus.

And all this in addition to the alkalizing effect (thanks to organic acids - citric, malic and fumaric), low calories, pleasant taste and tender flesh. Raw pumpkin in pancreatitis is not consumed, it is prepared in different ways and used for both first courses and desserts.

In conclusion, we cannot ignore some differences in the recommendations of domestic dietary therapy of pancreatitis and Western dietary therapy. Thus, experts from the Academy of Food & Nutrition (USA) believe that patients with pancreatic inflammation benefit from antioxidant-rich vegetables (primarily green leafy vegetables, including spinach) and fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and lean meat.

The National Pancreas Foundation (NPF) recommends using turmeric, milk thistle, ginger and dandelion root extracts to relieve acute pancreatitis and drinking water with lemon juice to help the pancreas secrete alkali (bicarbonate) and normalize its ducts. For the same purpose, it is recommended to use an anti-inflammatory green drink made from a mixture of cucumber, cabbage, celery, ginger and lemon juices.