Diet for liver and pancreas diseases

From this article you will learn:

1. 10 foods that are good for the heart and blood vessels
2. 10 healthy foods for the pancreas
3. 10 foods that are good for your liver
4. 10 healthy foods for your gut
5. 9 foods that are good for your kidneys
6. Products that should be in your daily diet

The list of products that are beneficial for the human body can take a long time. It is much more effective to start from a specific situation. It is recommended to eat something to improve the functioning of the pancreas, something to normalize blood vessels, something to “optimize” the condition of the liver.

Of course, the same product can have a beneficial effect on a variety of body systems, but not always. Moreover, there are not one or two of these systems in our body. But there are those that can rightfully be considered basic. Today we will talk about what is best to “feed” them.

General rules

Changing your diet, eating fast food that contains large quantities of fats and light carbohydrates, increasing stress load - all this serves as a background for the appearance of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
These diseases, to varying degrees, worsen the quality of life of patients, and it is comparable to that for diseases of the cardiovascular system. In recent years, the prevalence of these diseases has been increasing and all age groups are affected by the pathology - children and adolescents, people of working age and the elderly. During treatment, much attention is paid to dietary nutrition, the role of which is especially significant in this pathology. Table No. 5 is a universal basic diet used for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Varieties have been created on its basis, which makes it possible, with some correction, to use it for diseases of the liver, pancreas, gallbladder and ducts, when they are combined with colitis and gastritis , as well as after liver surgery.

The diet for diseases of the liver and pancreas should be gentle, therefore chemical and mechanical irritants are excluded or sharply limited (depending on the stage of the process). Disease of the liver and pancreas requires a diet; food intake should be small and small, and the food itself should be warm. Eating cold or hot foods is not allowed.

The general principles of nutrition for the pathology of these organs are:

• Exclusion from the diet of strong chemical irritants: essential oils of plants (onion, garlic, celery, radish, radish) and extractive substances (broths), dried and smoked foods, fried foods. To extract extractive substances, which is especially important for pancreatitis , the meat is boiled in small pieces, draining the water, and only then used as a semi-finished product for various dishes.
• Elimination of mechanical irritants in the form of coarse meats, fresh vegetables with coarse fiber and unprocessed foods.
• Eliminate the frying method when cooking. Dishes are prepared boiled or steamed. Baking without a crust is possible only with liver diseases in remission.
• A reduced amount of fats (refractory and poorly digestible ones are limited), vegetable oils are introduced, but in limited quantities for pancreatitis and calculous cholecystitis.
• Limiting foods rich in purines: animal liver, meat of young animals and birds, yeast, sardines, tuna, sprats, herring, salmon caviar, salmon, shrimp, mussels, squid, dried porcini mushrooms, smoked eel.
• Limiting table salt (up to 6 g) and egg yolks.
• Introduction of lipotropic substances that protect the liver from fatty degeneration. They are found in beef, lean fish, low-fat cottage cheese, seafood, whey, buttermilk, buckwheat and soy flour.
• Small meals with frequent meals. This promotes the regular flow of bile and pancreatic enzymes.
• Dishes are wiped or chopped during an exacerbation and in cases of severe inflammation.

During an exacerbation, nutrition should create maximum peace and help eliminate pain, so food is given pureed and liquid. The principle of small and frequent meals must also be observed, this is especially important for pancreatitis, when meals reach up to 8 times a day in small portions (50-100 g each).

For this disease, a low-calorie diet containing 60 g of protein and 50 g of fat is first prescribed. The diet consists of boiled foods of a semi-liquid consistency and mainly carbohydrate foods (decoctions of cereals, weak tea with sugar, pureed liquid porridges, pureed compotes, crackers, jelly and jelly with xylitol).

Protein products are gradually introduced: curd puddings, calcined cottage cheese in the form of paste, steamed omelet from 1-2 eggs, cream soup from boiled meat, meat and fish soufflé, steamed cutlets from lean meat. If well tolerated, add butter, pureed vegetable soups and vegetable puree (potato, carrot, beetroot). All dishes are prepared boiled or steamed. At first they are thoroughly wiped, and then crushed.

Nutrition during the acute period of liver disease is organized within Table No. 5A , and it is more varied than during exacerbation of pancreatitis:

• Steamed dishes made from twisted meat and lean fish.
• Puree or chopped boiled vegetables (potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, cauliflower and beets).
• Reduced amount of refractory fats and salt.
• Soups made with vegetable broths with pureed cereals and vegetables, puree soups seasoned with butter or cream.
• Porridges: semolina, buckwheat, rice, oatmeal, boiled in water and ground to a semi-liquid consistency. Vegetable oil is added to dishes if it is well tolerated.
• Bold cottage cheese, low-fat fermented milk products.
• Protein omelettes.
• Ripe, sweet fruits, baked and boiled, raw - only pureed.

During the recovery period, nutrition during the treatment of a diseased liver and pancreas is balanced and contains 90 g of proteins, 400 g of carbohydrates and fats - 80 g. However, the pathology of the pancreas requires adjustments and the nutrition of such patients is organized within Table No. 5P .

, exocrine gland insufficiency develops over time , which manifests itself in insufficient production of digestive enzymes. They are involved in the breakdown and digestion of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Indigestion is manifested by signs of malnutrition in patients: weight loss and weight deficiency. Patients also develop undigested fat in their stool (steatorrhea).

In this regard, a complete diet is recommended, so the amount of protein is increased to 120-150 g (of which animal proteins should be 80-85%), and the fat content is reduced to 70 g and below (depending on their tolerance). Refractory fats are poorly tolerated by patients - they increase abdominal pain, cause diarrhea and support inflammation, so their amount is significantly reduced, and the diet is enriched with vegetable oils.

Simple carbohydrates are also limited. This is due to the fact that Langerhans cells , which produce insulin . Ultimately, this can lead to insulin deficiency and the development of diabetes . Limiting or eliminating easily digestible carbohydrates (confectionery, white bread, semolina, sugar and sweets, potatoes, rice and oatmeal) serves as a prevention of diabetes. Sometimes patients are recommended to use various sweeteners (saccharin or xylitol) when preparing jellies, compotes, mousses, jelly and even jam.

At the same time, correction of enzyme imbalance is carried out with the prescription of enzyme preparations. Diet and enzyme replacement therapy prevent the progression of fibrodegenerative changes in the gland, they reduce pain and correct digestive disorders.

Taking enzyme preparations and maintaining proper nutrition should continue for years. Reducing dyspeptic syndrome and stabilizing weight are not indications for discontinuing enzyme therapy, since most patients, even with normal weight, have a nutritional disorder, as well as micronutrient deficiency.

The diet uses foods that inhibit pancreatic enzymes: egg whites, potatoes, soybeans, oatmeal. The amount of fat is increased gradually from 50 g to 70 g, observing their tolerance. You should not consume foods with a juice effect: any broths, fried foods and alcoholic beverages.

The list of products expands during the period of remission, when the inclusion of raw vegetables and fruits is allowed. Soups can be consumed raw, and new first courses can be carefully introduced into the diet: beetroot soup, borscht and cabbage soup. The following remain contraindicated: coffee, cocoa and carbonated drinks.

Fasting days are indicated for many diseases, including pancreatitis . This kind of mono-diet allows the gastrointestinal tract to work in a gentle manner. Since fasting diets are deficient in chemical composition, they can be prescribed only for 1 day and once a week or less often for patients with pancreatitis with low nutrition. The most acceptable fasting days for these diseases are: oatmeal, cottage cheese, curd and fruit, rice and compote, watermelon, juice, pumpkin.

What does the liver and pancreas require for normal functioning?

The liver and pancreas perform many functions in the body. So the liver takes an active part in cleansing the body of toxins and produces bile, this secret is required for normal digestion, and the pancreas ensures the production of hormones such as glucagon and insulin. In addition, the pancreas synthesizes a whole complex of digestive enzymes.

Most pathologies of these organs develop against the background of poor nutrition. For this reason, you should know which foods the liver and pancreas love, and which are categorically not recommended for it.

Healthy products for the liver and pancreas should contain a large amount of vitamins E-A and microelements. For the normal functioning of the glands, it is important not only to consume healthy foods, but also to supplement them with mineral and vitamin complexes.

An excellent addition to a nutritious diet would be the use of infusions of various medicinal herbs and decoctions of fruits, herbal preparations for the liver. A decoction prepared from rose hips has an excellent positive effect on the condition of the glands.

Authorized Products

Diet for liver and pancreas disease includes:

• Soups in vegetable broths with vegetables (in case of exacerbation - ground). Cereal soups are well boiled or kneaded, seasoned with sour cream, butter or cream. The most acceptable for these diseases are puree soups.
• Boiled and grated (in case of exacerbation) potatoes, pumpkin, zucchini, carrots, cauliflower, beets, green peas. After a while, the consumption of finely chopped boiled vegetables is allowed, and during the period of remission - raw (grated carrots, cucumbers and pumpkin, peeled tomatoes).
• Porridge with water: semolina, oatmeal, buckwheat, rice. Pearl barley, corn, millet and barley are limited. Porridges are well boiled or ground, and also prepared from flour (buckwheat, oatmeal, rice) with the addition of milk. You can make a soufflé from cereals, pouring jelly or jam.
• Lean chicken, beef, veal or rabbit. Boiled chicken and rabbit are consumed in pieces; other types of meat are prepared in the form of chopped, steamed products.
• Low-fat fish (pike perch, hake, cod, pollock, perch, carp, pike, whiting), steamed - in pieces or in the form of cutlets. For pancreatitis, stewed and poached fish is not allowed, as it contains a large amount of extractive substances.
• Low-fat fermented milk products. Sour cream and milk are allowed as additives in dishes, since whole milk is poorly tolerated. You can include mild grated cheese, low-fat cottage cheese and dishes made from it in your diet. In case of calcium deficiency, which is observed in patients with pancreatitis, it is better to consume calcined cottage cheese.
• Wheat bread, dried or crackers. It is possible to eat unsweetened cookies.
• White omelettes from 1-2 eggs daily.
• Vegetable-based sauces that diversify your diet. They are prepared on the basis of unfried flour with the addition of sour cream or milk.
• Baked sweet apples and pears and pureed dried fruits. Jams, jelly, mousses and natural marshmallows prepared with xylitol. Mashed raw fruits are allowed to a limited extent.
• For liver diseases, the list of fruits is wider - all ripe fruits (except sour varieties) are allowed, baked and raw.

Table of permitted products

What diet to follow

The diet should be prepared by a nutritionist

For each disease, an individual list of permitted products is selected, taking into account the condition of the patient’s body. Many patients note the effectiveness of such a diet: on an empty stomach a person takes this mixture (a combination of 1 tablespoon of vodka and 2 tablespoons of olive oil). After 30 minutes, a person has breakfast with oatmeal with the addition of flax seeds.

Lunch is preceded by drinking a glass of water with lemon juice. These measures improve the flow of bile. But this method of stimulating the liver is not suitable for people with high acidity of gastric juice. Before using traditional recipes, it is worth assessing the condition of your own body.

The diet of each patient differs due to the peculiarities of the course of the disease, the severity of the process and the individual characteristics of the patient’s body. But there are general tips that are relevant for all patients:

• Lean meat and dietary fish are cooked in a double boiler.
• There are restrictions regarding dairy products: cream, sour cream, processed cheese, and fermented baked milk are excluded. The use of low-fat cottage cheese is allowed.
• What is the situation with the consumption of bakery products? Pastries and cakes are removed from the diet. You can treat yourself to crackers and products based on coarse flour.
• The basis of liquid dishes is vegetable soups with cereals; vegetarian borscht will help diversify your diet. You should avoid meat broths and mushroom soups.
• Vegetables excluded from the diet: tomato, radish, radish, onion. You cannot cook dishes with sorrel and eat garlic.
• You can have an omelet for breakfast or eat boiled whites. Eggs should not appear on the table more than 2 times a week.

A specialist will help you create a competent diet.

Fully or partially limited products

The following are excluded from the diet of patients:

• Broth-based soups, borscht, okroshka, beetroot soup, cabbage soup. The latter dishes can be carefully introduced into the diet for liver diseases.
• Coarse vegetables (white cabbage, rutabaga, radishes, turnips, eggplants, radishes), mushrooms in any form, legumes, pickled products.
• Fatty fish and meat, cooking fats, lard, goose and duck meat, stewed meat and fish, any fried foods, smoked meats, salted fish, fish roe, all sausages, canned food.
• Offal.
• Rye bread and any fresh bread, yeast baked goods, fried cheesecakes and pancakes, confectionery, puff pastry, pancakes.
• Cereals: pearl barley, corn, millet and barley are not indicated for pancreatitis. For other diseases they can be used if well tolerated.
• Raw vegetables and fruits during an exacerbation period are then introduced into the diet with caution.
• Vegetables with coarse fiber are excluded (bell peppers, radishes, horseradish, overripe peas, radishes, onions, garlic).
• Black strong coffee, grape juice, chocolate, ice cream, cocoa, jam, carbonated drinks.
• High-fat cottage cheese with high acidity, fried eggs, cream, full-fat milk, sharp cheese.
• Acidic fruits and berries (apples, cherries, cranberries) and fruits containing a lot of carbohydrates (grapes, dates, bananas), as they cause bloating and adversely affect carbohydrate metabolism.
• Seasonings and spices, horseradish, ketchup, mustard, herbs, pepper, mayonnaise.
• Alcohol.

Table of prohibited products

Menu (Power Mode)

During the period of remission, the patient’s diet is quite varied, but you only need to follow the permitted cooking methods. Cereal casseroles, boiled pasta and cereal soufflés are added to the diet. At the same time, limit the consumption of crumbly cereals. Small amounts of butter are added to prepared dishes.

The list of vegetables has also been expanded and includes cauliflower, beets, pumpkin, and green peas, from which you can prepare a variety of dishes. It is better for patients to eat low-fat unleavened cottage cheese, which is prepared with the addition of calcium chloride. In addition to the sweetish, fresh taste, it contains an increased amount of calcium. Souffles and steam puddings are made on its basis.

Reviews and results

Constant adherence to a therapeutic diet is important for combined pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, since this is required by their state of health. Patients notice that expanding their diet inevitably leads to deterioration. If the diet is followed, there is a rapid regression of symptoms. Reviews note the need for constant adherence to therapeutic nutrition and this causes difficulties, since it is necessary to prepare food individually.

• “... In addition to pancreatitis, an ultrasound scan revealed cholecystitis and gallstones. There was an exacerbation and I had to stay in the hospital. There is no need to remove the gallbladder yet, but you will have to follow the diet constantly. I strictly follow all nutrition recommendations. I switched to boiled and steamed dishes, excluded fatty and fried foods, I also eat vegetable oils carefully, as they can move the stones and cause an attack. So far I have been able to keep the disease under control: there is no pain, no bloating, and my stool has returned to normal. It’s just difficult to do it, because you have to prepare it for yourself separately”;
• “... I strictly monitor my nutrition and follow a diet constantly. I have cholecystitis and pancreatitis. It turned out that it is not so difficult to cook in a double boiler, and you can also bake in a slow cooker. I cook cutlets, quenelles, omelettes, and casseroles in it. I don’t grind soups and porridges, but if there is an exacerbation, I lightly grind them in a blender. I excluded foods that I don’t tolerate well (cabbage, grapes, millet and pearl barley porridge, fresh vegetables in large quantities). The situation is made easier by the fact that my relatives support me and do not mind eating dietary dishes”;
• “... I suffer from fatty liver and pancreatitis. There is only one treatment table for these diseases, so it is easier to prepare. Consistent adherence to proper nutrition allows you to feel good and not have exacerbations. I quickly learned how to make steamed cutlets, especially since you can make them for 2-3 days. I eat porridge, cook soups with water and don’t fry them. I often eat vegetables boiled or baked; if there is no exacerbation, I eat them raw. Constant diet food does not allow me to gain weight, so I keep my weight at the same level.”

Products that help cleanse the liver and normalize pancreas function

If a person has problems with the functioning of the organ, the first thing to do is to review the diet and exclude from it all products harmful to the gland, replacing them with products that help restore the functionality of the organ and cleanse it of toxins.

The most accessible and very healthy are apples, green tea, grapefruit, flax seeds, cabbage, pumpkin, beets, garlic, walnuts and a variety of greens.

Apples have a mild choleretic effect, so their use is recommended for people who have problems with the gallbladder. Eating these fruits prevents bile stagnation and the development of cholecystitis and cholelithiasis.

To improve the condition of the liver and cleanse it of toxins, apples are best consumed baked. Most doctors recommend introducing two oven-baked apples into your daily diet.

Drinking green tea is very useful for cleaning the gland. The drink contains a large number of antioxidants that can facilitate the process of neutralizing toxic compounds. Doctors recommend giving preference to green rather than black tea. Green tea also has antitumor effects on the body.

Grapefruit, like green tea, contains a large number of antioxidants, which allows consuming this product to have a positive effect on the condition of the gland. When consuming grapefruits, you should remember that this fruit does not combine with medications, so when carrying out drug therapy, you should avoid consuming this fruit.

Flax seeds contain a large amount of fiber, this component helps remove harmful components from the body. Flax seed is rich in mineral compounds and contains omega-3 fatty acids. These compounds are important for the prevention of pathologies in the work of both the liver and the cardiovascular system.

Beetroot is very useful for cleaning the gland from toxic and harmful components; it can be consumed both in the form of salads and as part of borscht and beetroot soup.

Garlic helps to activate the process of enzyme production by the liver. Allicin and selenium contained in garlic provide protection to organ cells from the toxic effects of various harmful compounds. Eating garlic significantly reduces the amount of bad cholesterol in the body, which contributes to its health.

Walnuts contain large amounts of unsaturated fatty acids, which help reduce cholesterol levels in the body. The use of this product not only heals the liver, but also prevents the development of atherosclerosis in humans.

Eating greens saturates the body with a large number of biologically active compounds and microelements, which has a beneficial effect on overall health.