Did you know that, as of the latest figures from 2015, around 3.1 million people in the US are living with an inflammatory bowel disease?
That includes Crohn’s disease and is quite a shocking figure, particularly when treatment still seems so far behind. There’s no cure for Crohn’s disease yet, only ways to ease symptoms, and widespread knowledge of the condition is still pretty poor.
But, there are ways you can manage the disease and help your body work with it. One of these is by watching what you eat.
To help you, we’ve put together some gut health recipes that could ease your symptoms.
Why You Need to Watch What You Eat
If you or someone you know has Crohn’s, you’ve probably heard words like drainage, capsule endoscopy, and colon and rectal surgery more times than you ever wished to! The truth is though that Crohn’s can be a very nasty disease if you don’t manage it. Even what you eat can trigger flare-ups, making diet very important.
Because Crohn’s can interfere with the way your body absorbs nutrients, it’s also vital you eat a healthy and varied diet to make sure you’re getting enough of everything. Certain foods can also ease the effects of the disease, making your diet crucial to how you cope.
As well as these recipes, you should also look into the benefits of probiotics. Many people with Crohn’s disease take a probiotic to accompany a healthy diet, and it can really ease the effects of the disease.
In the meantime, let’s take a look at some super tasty recipes that could help you live with Crohn’s disease.
1. Lemon Pepper Chicken
Chicken is a great meat for people with Crohn’s disease because it’s so low in fat, making it easier on your gut. But, a lot of chicken comes heaped with spice, which isn’t so good for your colon health!
Lemon pepper chicken is a great alternative to the oily, spicy chicken that’s often found in stores. It’s loaded with flavor and you can make it easily at home in around 30 minutes. It’s also low in fiber, which is ideal for Crohn’s.
To make it, simply coat chicken breasts in a marinade of lemon juice, herbs, and peppercorn. Grill the chicken to avoid adding extra fat, and plate up. Delicious and nutritious!
2. Probiotic Superfood Bowl
You can make amazing, healthy bowls that are packed with prebiotics and probiotics that will help the good bacteria in your gut to thrive. This can help ease the symptoms of Crohn’s and leave you feeling much healthier! Here are the ingredients you need to make the bowl:
- 4 cups of cooked rice
- 1/4 sliced small red onion
- 1/2 roasted head of cauliflower
- 3 cups of dandelion greens
- 1 roasted red beet
- 1 cup of sauerkraut
- 1/4 cup of walnuts
- 1-2 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds
Simply combine these ingredients to make the main part of your bowl. It’s so easy and packed full of gut-healthy ingredients! Then, make this orange cider vinaigrette for a flavoursome sauce that packs a punch – but not on your gut!
Here are the ingredients for the vinaigrette:
- 2-3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup of olive oil
- 1/4 cup of fresh orange juice
- 1 small clove of garlic
- A 1-inch thumb of ginger
- A pinch of salt
Add these ingredients into a blender and blend until it’s smooth. Pour a generous amount over your bowl and you’re ready to serve!
3. Gut Healthy Burger
A lot of burgers are out of the question for people with Crohn’s. They’re far too fatty and hard to digest, making them rough on your gut. But, this one’s different.
It’s made with lean beef and blended with other, gut-friendly ingredients to help you digest it much more easily. It’s simple to make, too; just combine all the ingredients, form into a patty, and cook your burgers on a skillet until they’re done.
To make your own, here are the ingredients:
- 1/2 pound of lean ground beef
- 1/4 cup of oats
- 2 tablespoons of oat bran
- 2 tablespoons of fat-free milk
- 1 teaspoon of onion flakes
- A pinch of black pepper
- Canola oil for cooking
With this easy-to-make burger, you’ll never feel left out at a BBQ again!
4. Chicken and Sweet Potato Soup
If your Crohn’s is flaring up, it’s important you eat easy to digest, simple foods that help your belly rather than make it worse. A great meal for this is a chicken and sweet potato soup. It’s still super tasty and, because it’s completely blended, it’s kind on your stomach.
Here are the ingredients to make it:
- 2 cooked chick breasts
- 2 sweet potatoes
- 2 medium potatoes
- 2 carrot
- 1/2 cup of non-dairy or fat-free milk
- 750ml of bone broth or veggie stock
- 2 teaspoons of turmeric
- A 1-inch thumb of ginger
- A pinch of black pepper
If you want to make it vegan, you can take out the chicken and it’ll still taste delicious! Now, here’s how to make this yummy, gut-friendly soup:
- Peel and slice all vegetables and cook your chicken
- Add your broth or stock and half of the milk to a saucepan
- Add chicken, vegetables, and turmeric
- Bring to the boil and simmer for 40 minutes
- Check the vegetables are soft before blending in a blender until completely smooth
- Add the other half of the milk and stir to finish your soup
If you’re worried about any of the vegetables, feel free to switch them with something you know your stomach can cope with.
Try a Variety of Gut Health Recipes
When it comes to Crohn’s disease, what works for one person may cause huge flare-ups in another. That’s why you’ll probably need to test out a wide variety of gut health recipes before finding a meal plan that works for you.
If you found this article useful, be sure to check out more of what we have to say about the Crohn’s diet.
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