Diet for pancreatitis is an important factor in successful treatment, so adhering to dietary restrictions allows for a full life and reduces the likelihood of relapse.
Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreatic tissue associated with impaired secretion of digestive enzymes, severe pain, changes in stool, and vomiting. This leads to a pathological metabolic disorder and can lead to the development of diabetes mellitus. The main factors contributing to the development of pancreatitis are: overeating, abuse of fatty foods, and alcohol.
It is necessary to adhere to a diet for pancreatitis for a long time. Acute inflammation requires dietary restriction for 6-9 months, while chronic pancreatitis requires diets to be followed for several years or for life.
Performance characteristics
Approaches to prescribing a diet for pancreatitis depend on whether the inflammation is acute or chronic. Doctors note the beneficial effect of the diet on pancreatitis. It allows you to quickly overcome acute inflammation, avoid complications and extend the time of remission in a chronic process.
Features of the diet:
- Within 2-3 days after an acute attack of pancreatitis, you need to completely refuse food. Thus the pancreas is given rest. Therapeutic fasting involves the use of liquid in the form of non-carbonated alkaline mineral water, weakly brewed tea or rose hip infusion, one glass 5-6 times a day.
- On the fourth day after the start of therapeutic fasting, the gradual introduction of solid foods into the diet begins. As a rule, these are low-calorie meals without salt, which gradually increase gastric juice secretion.
- In pancreatitis, the way you prepare food is important. Steam cooking is recommended because food prepared in this way retains all the necessary substances and does not damage the digestive tract.
- Food should not be refrigerated or hot, the optimal temperature is close to body temperature. In this case, the food should be grated or semi-runny.
- Diet for pancreatitis limits the consumption of diet foods. You eat small portions at least five times a day.
The diet excludes foods:
- greasy;
- fried;
- Hot sauces and spices;
- sour juices;
- Canned food, pickles;
- smoked meat;
- Confectionery;
- Cocoa, chocolate;
- Alcohol.
The calorific value of such foods should be 2500 kcal.
The disadvantage of such a diet is an acute shortage of raw vegetable foods. Some components need to be balanced by taking complex vitamins and supplements.
Diet for acute pancreatitis
Diet in treating pancreatitis is an essential part of therapy. During an exacerbation, an attack is accompanied by severe stomach pain and loss of appetite, so the first few days of medical fasting do not cause the patient any suffering.
In addition, dietary low-calorie foods are gradually being added to the diet. It can be dried uncooked bread, berry fruit drinks and jelly, viscous decoctions of oatmeal and rice, liquid mashed potatoes without oil. It is currently recommended to exclude products that contribute to gas formation.
On the 6-7. Day protein dishes are gradually introduced: steamed meat, mashed potatoes or pudding made from vegetables, steamed protein omelette.
It should be noted that the diet requires long-term adherence to dietary restrictions. For 6-9 months, you need to strictly follow the rules and monitor your diet on a daily basis.
The course of the disease can have certain features, so the gastroenterologist and nutritionist are engaged in the appointment of a diet. Specialists of this profile determine for each individual patient, taking into account the comorbidities, what can be eaten in a diet for pancreatitis.
After the acute phase of illness has subsided, you can make your menu much more varied with simple and healthy products. It should be noted that the number of meals should be at least four, while the volume of liquid drunk is about 1. 5 liters per day.
Sample menu:
- Breakfast: semolina (rice) cooked in water; Apple; weakly brewed green tea with a spoon of honey.
- Second breakfast: steamed chicken breast cutlets; Carrot puree; a decoction of rose hip berries.
- Lunch: vegetable broth with beef or fish; Mashed potatoes; White bread croton; Skinless baked apple.
- Afternoon snack: low-fat cottage cheese; green tea with a spoon of honey.
- Dinner >: steamed protein omelette made from three chicken eggs; Mashed potatoes made from dietary vegetables; White bread croton.
- Before going to bed: sour milk.
Diet will noticeably reduce the symptoms and treatment of pancreatitis. Such a diet is gentle on the pancreas and gradually normalizes its work. The patient's well-being depends on how strictly he adheres to the diet. Any disturbance in the diet is immediately reflected in the digestive function.
Diet for chronic pancreatitis
Chronic pancreatitis most often develops against the background of an acute condition, but it can also appear as an underlying disease if it is a complication of other diseases.
Diet and treatment for pancreatitis are two inseparable concepts. Dietary guidelines should also be followed during remission.
Diet rules for chronic pancreatitis:
- The calorie content of the food during this period should correspond to daily physical activity.
- Much emphasis is placed on the protein content in food. Turkey, chicken, rabbit, beef, lean pork, and fish are allowed.
- It is not allowed to include lamb, fatty pork, goose, duck and game dishes in the menu.
- The heat treatment of food does not allow frying, baking in the oven or steaming. Food must be boiled or boiled in a water bath.
- Cheese, which was previously banned at the stage of aggravation, is now allowed in small quantities, but it is advisable to replace milk with fermented milk products.
- The diet should include vegetable proteins, represented by yesterday's cereals and breads, while it must be borne in mind that legumes should be completely excluded during a diet with pancreatitis.
- The total amount of carbohydrates should not exceed 350 g per day. They can be found in pasta, cereals, honey, jams, and syrups.
An approximate diet menu for chronic pancreatitis:
- Breakfast: boiled rabbit meat; Congee.
- Late breakfast: low-fat cottage cheese; Apples baked without honey.
- Lunch: buckwheat soup; boiled or stewed fish with vegetables; Dried fruit compote.
- Afternoon snack: steamed chops with vegetable sauce.
- Dinner: veal, unsweetened curd pudding; weak tea.
- Before bed: kefir.
The meals are fractionated and in small portions. The food should be served warm every three hours.
Salt and spices cause an increased release of enzymes in the digestive tract, so their amount should be kept as low as possible. In addition, sour, smoked foods, baked goods, and sour cream, as well as chocolate, all have a similar effect. Sugary foods can cause complications such as diabetes mellitus, so their dietary content is reduced by 90%.