The pancreas is not just another organ of your body, but a vital part that plays important functions. It keeps your blood sugar stable and ensures proper digestion. Now you know why it’s necessary to keep it healthy. Without a healthy pancreas, it’s common to experience bloating, digestive issues and diabetes. Let’s understand how you can keep your pancreas healthy through diet.
There are various modifications you can make in your life that can improve the health of your pancreas, even if you are suffering from pancreatitis. Diet is one of those modifications that can help you achieve your goal better. This blog will discuss foods that heal the pancreas naturally and an amazing healthy pancreatitis diet that you can adapt to your lifestyle. So, let’s begin!
Best Pancreatitis Diet for Keeping Your Pancreas Healthy!
What goes inside your body plays a very important deciding how fast you will heal from an unhealthy pancreas. Here is a list of foods that you should eat and foods to avoid if you want a healthy pancreas.
What to Eat with Pancreatitis?
Your pancreas diet should be a mix of the following foods-
Fruits
- Berries
- Orange
- Apple
- Grapes
- Papayas
- Watermelon
Why– Being rich in antioxidants and certain fibres, it protects the pancreas from oxidative stress and inflammation.
Vegetables
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Green Beans
- Bellpepper
- Sweet potatoes
- Zucchini
Why- All these vegetables are low in fat, rich in fiber, and packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, all of which support a healthy digestion and aid in healing.
Whole Grains
- Brown rice
- Millet
- Oats
- Quinoa
- Farro
Why– Whole grains are rich in fibre and provide the pancreas with essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which help in managing pancreatitis symptoms.
Nuts
- Almonds
- Cashews
- Walnuts
- Pistachios
Why– It provides the body with healthy fats and nutrients like magnesium and vitamin E, which prevent any kind of stress on the digestive system
Precaution– Avoid taking in excess quantities, as it can create digestive issues.
Foods to Avoid
Only eating a healthy pancreatitis diet alone does not do the job of keeping your pancreas healthy, if you are taking a harmful pancreas-affected diet with it. So, as long as it is important to include the above foods in your diet, it’s equally important to avoid the below list of foods, as it’s not very friendly to your pancreas
High Sugar Foods
- Soda and soft drinks
- Chocolates
- Sugar desserts
- Canned fruits
- Icecream
Why– The refined sugars and unhealthy fats in these foods can cause your blood sugar to spike, thus making healing difficult and increasing inflammation.
Processed Foods
- Fried foods
- Packaged foods
- Instant noodles
- Processed cheese
- Frozen foods
Why- Being rich in healthy fats, refined sugars, and additives, processed foods make it difficult for the pancreas to break down those foods easily, thus creating digestion complications.
Alcohol
Alcohol should be avoided as it dehydrates the body and interferes with a healthy pancreas function, thus making it difficult for people with pancreatitis to manage their symptoms.
High-Fat Foods
- Full-fat dairy products
- Fastfoods
- Vegetable oils
- Cream sauces
- Baked foods
Why- These foods are high in saturated fats and trans fats, unhealthy for the pancreas as they aggravate the pain, worsening the damage done to your body.
Red Meat
Red meat contains harmful fats, cholesterol, and preservatives, all of which are unhealthy for the pancreas. Instead, you can consider substituting it with plant-based protein as it won’t do the body any harm.
7-Day Diet Plan of Foods that Heal the Pancreas
| Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
| Day 1 | 1 cup Green Tea + 2 Steamed idli or 1 Plain Dosa with sambar | 1 cup Vegetable Soup + 2 Chapati + 1 cup Vegetable + 1 cup Low fat Curd | 1 cup Soft cooked Rice + 1 cup Sambar + 1 cup vegetable juice |
| Day 2 | Scrambled egg whitesWhole grain toast | Turkey breast sandwich with lettuce on whole-wheat bread | Baked chicken breastQuinoa |
| Day 3 | Smoothie with low-fat yogurt, strawberries, and a small banana | Lentil soup with vegetables | Khichdi made with moong dal, rice, and minimal ghee |
| Day 4 | 1 bowl upma + 1 cup herbal tea | Toor/waran dal with rice with lightly cooked green vegetables like bhindi (ladyfinger) or palak (spinach) | Moong dal idli |
| Day 5 | Kanda Poha (onion poha) made with minimal oil and topped with coriander and lemon | 3 roti + ½ cup brown rice + 1 cup bitter gourd sabji + salad | Jaun (barley roti) with sabzi |
| Day 6 | Dahi-Bhaat (curd-rice) with a pinch of turmeric | Roti with aloo and peas curry | Rice + spinach sabzi |
| Day 7 | Thalipeeth (multi-grain flatbread) with plain homemade dahi | 2 roti + 1 cup veg pulao + 1 cup green gram curry + salad | Tomato soup |
Conclusion
Eating healthy and nutritious food, as shared above, is crucial for people with Pancreatitis, as diet plays an important role in accelerating recovery. With a healthy lifestyle and a healthy pancreatitis diet, you can easily manage your condition better and prevent your condition from affecting your overall well-being.
There are also certain foods, such as fried and processed foods, that can affect your pancreas negatively, so try to limit their intake. For a healthy pancreas, be disciplined with your routine, such as eating meals at consistent times and going to bed early. This rhythm will support your digestive fire (Agni) and help maintain proper pancreatic function.
Sources:
- Doctors Health Press. Diet for pancreatitis: food tips, eating, and other lifestyle changes. Available from: https://www.doctorshealthpress.com/diet-for-pancreatitis-food-tips-eating-and-other-lifestyle-changes/
- DietBurrp. Indian diet plan for pancreatitis (acute and chronic pancreatitis food list). Available from: https://www.dietburrp.com/indian-diet-plan-for-pancreatitis-acute-and-chronic-pancreatitis-food-list/
- ZayaCare. 7-day meal plan for pancreatitis. Available from: https://zayacare.com/blog/7-day-meal-plan-for-pancreatitis/
- Homeocare Clinic. Diet chart for pancreatitis. Available from: https://www.homeocareclinic.in/diet-chart-for-pancreatitis/
