Pancreatitis Diet: My Diet for Pancreatitis

You Have Pancreatitis and You Are Wondering What Foods Can Be Included In A Diet For Pancreatitis, Right?

My pancreatitis diet is very strict and chances are you won't be willing to use my diet for pancreatitis because you won't want to change the way you have eaten for years; even though my pancreatitis diet may either save your life, allow you to live pain free (with certain supplements) or both.

My diet for pancreatitis eliminates ALL "Pancreatitis triggers" found in food and drink in order to help your pancreas heal so that your pancreatitis pain becomes a memory instead of a daily reality.

My pancreatitis diet will accomplish that in conjunction with powerful antioxidants. My regimen of diet and supplements works for me and it is now working for others who use it as well.

I am going to share with you what my diet for pancreatitis entails and you can do whatever you like with the pancreatitis diet information because it is your life not mine. Just keep this in mind I have been beating pancreatitis for over 30 years and for the most part I have been pain free due to my pancreatitis diet, certain supplements and a lot of Divine Intervention - God's help. And ...

A diet for pancreatitis depends upon where you are at in regards to your stage of illness. For example: Are you just now coming out of an acute pancreatitis attack or are you suffering from chronic pancreatitis and wanting to avoid another episode of acute pancreatitis?

I will cover both stages so you have a decent idea of what I do in either situation. That way you can choose whether or not you feel my pancreatitis diet is something you should be adhereing to as well in order to heal.

What Is Acute Pancreatitis

Acute Pancreatitis Diet

What to eat after the Acute Pancreatitis episode resolves

An acute pancreatitis diet is simple. It includes this: NOTHING by mouth except water. When you suffer an acute pancreatitis attack your pancreas is highly inflamed, your pancreatic enzymes are dissolving your own pancreas. Eating or drinking anything that will trigger the production of more enzymes during this time is not wise.

I had one person find my blog using the key words "can I drink beer during acute pancreatitis." I could only shake my head. Hopefully he found his answer while reading some of my posts on a diet for acute pancreatitis. Ok, so ...

Nothing by mouth except water until the acute pancreatitis pain , vomiting and/or other symptoms resolve and then you may want to consider following what I personally do for the next few days following the AP which is ...

Once your acute pancreatitis pain and symptoms have resolved you should be on a liquid diet for acute pancreatitis for the next several days (72 - 96 hours) and those liquids should be ONLY vegetable or fruit in origin. That means juice is good, juice is your only food friend at this time. Low sodium V8 juice is an excellent choice as far as store bought juice is concerned. If you own a juicer that is even better because you can make your own quality juice, just make sure the vegetables and/or fruits are organic if at all posiible.

NO broth unless it is totally vegetable in origin. In other words NO beef or chicken broth and I don't care if the can label says 100% fat free or you make it yourself - NO beef, pork, lamb, turkey or chicken broth. No snake or mystery meat broth - NO meat broth period.

Once you have been on a vegan liquid pancreatitis diet for at least 72 hours (a week is preferable), resting your pancreas and you have experienced NO pain or symptoms such as nausea while drinking juice 3 - 5 times per day it may then be appropriate to try some solid food such as a half cup of brown rice and vegetables (strictly VEGAN with NO OIL used in cooking) to test how solid food reacts with your pancreas. If you have no symptoms on a half cup of rice and vegetables after several hours try another half cup.

Continue with a strictly VEGAN diet for pancreatitis until you begin to feel well and then you can explore other food possibilities that are on my potentially safe list. If at anytime you experience pain due to eating solid food you should again fast (no food) for 72 - 96 hours consuming only water to keep hydrated. Then ...

Start again with juice 3 - 5 times daily and work up to solid food like before. Completely VEGAN with NO OIL used in preparation.

This is extremely important: When I first started to feel better (approximately three years after my diagnosis) I had started drinking grapefruit juice, you can read more about how I happened to start drinking grapefruit juice on my blog. Anyway ...

My Acute Pancreattits episodes stopped.

I attributed the recovery to my prescription medication called robinul and my strict diet for pancreatitis but it turns out the grapefruit juice may have played a huge role in my recovery since I have found research that states certain ingredients, called polyphenol flavonoids, which occur within the juice, pulp, and seeds stop Acute Pancreatitis.

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I take supplements in conjunction with my diet for pancreatitis, but, when I noticed my Acute Pancreatitis episodes stopped I was only drinking the juice, adhering to my pancreatitis diet and taking a multi-vitamin-mineral. To learn about the supplements I take that have completely healed my pancreas and allow me to live pain free visit: Supplements For Pancreatitis

Juice Is Your Acute Pancreatitis Diet Friend - Make Your Own Fresh, Nutritious Juice

When coming out of an Acute Pancreatitis episode, your pain has resolved due to zero food intake, the most intelligent course of action in regards to a pancreatitis diet is to start with liquid foods such as vegetable juice. Juice will be your best friend and this juicer can help you whip up nutritious juices in minutes.

The value of this product comes from the fact that you will use it a lot even after you have recovered from your Acute Pancreatitis episode because the unfortunate reality is that you will most likely experience Chronic Pancreatitis for the rest of your life and need to eat ONLY what your pancreas can easily handle unless you enjoy massive pain and vomiting.

Do You Need A Diet For Pancreatitis? - Take this poll please

Pancreatitis Supplements: These supplements, coupled with a proper pancreatitis diet, help heal the pancreas

The following supplements are important for healing your pancreas and actually stopping acute pancreatitis, pancreatitis pain and controlling chronic pancreatitis. They work for me and most likely will work for you too.

Control Pancreatitis and Heal Your Pancreas

Pancreatitis supplements are extremely important. Coupled with a proper pancreatitis diet they may help heal your damaged pancreas. The following supplements help me. Without them I'd be sick.

Grape seed extract, curcumin, and vitamin C are highly anti-inflammatory. They are the cornerstones, along with my pancreatitis diet, that enabled me to heal. Read more here

Enzymes are very important because they help take the load of manufacturing/processing them off your pancreas and aid in digestion. Enzymes are extremely important to those who have been damaged to the point that their pancreas doesn't produce them or doesn't produce enough enzymes. If your doctor has prescribed an enzyme replacement such as Creon you should be good to go in respect to pancreatic enzymes.

A good, non-synthetic, multi-vitamin-mineral-antioxidant formula is important because you will need it to supplement your diet with nutrients. Many people who have had acute or long-term chronic pancreatitis also have another condition called malabsorption. This is usually caused by pancreatic insufficiency due to sustained damge caused by pancreatitis but the result is you do not absorb vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients from your foods like you should. Thus, a quality multi vitamin formula becomes necessary.

What Is Chronic Pancreatitis?

Pancreatitis Diet: 5 Grams of Fat or Less!

Your pancreatitis diet should contain no more than 5 grams of fat, from allowable, non acute pancreatitis trigger sources per meal. That means 5 grams of fat or less from plant based and allowed animal type foods (poultry and fish). That is NOT an easy target to hit. Watch the food (no red meat, no pork, no lamb, no duck, no oil, no alcohol) and fat content of the food you eat. Deviate from this guideline at your own risk.

Chronic Pancreatitis Diet

This is the diet for chronic pancreatitis I adhere to myself

If you have sustained damage from acute pancreatitis you are almost certain to suffer from chronic pancreatitis. That is where my diet for chronic pancreatitis comes into play and is extremely important in regards to your longevity and suffering. You can eat whatever you choose, it's your life, but, if you would like to become pain free or at least have a lot less pain and lessen the risk of more acute pancreatitis episodes and further damage, even death then you may want to get serious and learn how to eat what is somewhat safe and avoid acute pancreatitis triggers like the black plague.

The list of what you can't eat is LONG and the list of what is normally safe, in my years of testing and experience, is short. In order to save space along with unnecessary wear and tear upon my fingers I am going to point you to my blog which covers my chronic pancreatitis diet in several posts and you can start here with: Pancreatitis Diet - Diet For Chronic Pancreatitis

Just be careful of what you read online in regards to what is safe and not safe for you to eat. I have seen some of the most damaging information, (from doctors, medical centers and people who claim to have chronic pancreatitis), that it is amazing that most people who have chronic pancreatitis even survive a year or two when following the typical advice I see online. On the other hand ...

I have survived now for over 32 years (since my diagnosis) and have been acute pancreatitis free (except for one episode in 2005 or 2006) for about 29 of those years and pretty much pain free as well for almost 17 years now. So ...

You can choose to believe and follow the thoughts and opinions of someone who is still in pain or some other person who has never even experienced the pain and agony of acute or chronic pancreatitis OR ...

You can believe me and what I share with you that I can almost always back up with scientific evidence in one way or another along with 32+ plus years of trial and error. They (patients in pain and the medical folks) are either in pain still, dead, or brain dead while I am pain free so who might be right? It is food for thought.

Diary for A Pancreatitis Diet

Creating a pancreatitis food diary Is ...

One of the most important steps in your journey to healing your pancreas. KNOWING, for almost absolute certain, what does and does NOT inflame your pancreas is vital intel.

The ONLY way to have absolute assurance is to do a proper food diary and track the foods you eat and write down the results. Even this is NOT a total absolute because what is tolerated NOW may not be tolerated in the future IF you have another acute pancreatitis attack and sustain more damage but ...

The ONLY food triggers are FAT and ALCOHOL but you will only learn that for yourself by doing a food diary for pancreatitis.

Eliminate ALL alcohol and find out what fats and in what amounts those fats cause you discomfort and you'll be well on your way to healing. I can tell you what the triggers are but unless you do a diary, and do it properly, for yourself you may tend to doubt me. You will always fight the fact that you do not want to give up this or that food in order to be well. You'll continue to blame something that is irrelevant in order to maintain control over your precious foods. Now ...

Like I said, and if I haven't said it I am saying it now, there is a right way and a half-assed or wrong way to do a pancreatitis food diary. You NEED to prep for doing the diary and then you need to actually do the diary properly. You can learn how here: Creating a food diary for pancreatitis

My Pancreatitis Diet Is Mostly VEGAN - Cooking vegan for pancreatitis

The 30 Minute Vegan recipes to help heal your pancreas. It is extremely important to go completely VEGAN (No meat of any kind shape or form, No dairy) when coming out of an acute pancreatitis episode. You should continue a vegan diet for pancreatitis for at least 6 months or for as long as it takes you to heal completely.

I thought you may want some vegan recipes. Now it is important to note that vegans use oil in cooking but you on the other hand will need to find other ways to keep your food from sticking in pans while cooking and of course foods containing oils (salad dressings are a good example) are OUT!

Vegans use fat filled dressings and sauces. They also use nuts and coconut and avocado. THAT stuff is NOT good. To much FAT. Avoid them! Substitute something else with ZERO fat or avoid the ingredients, sauces and dressings that vegans use.

Learn to cook fat free and meatless until your pancreas heals. Even once your pancreas heals there will still be a tons of food you can not eat unless you want to be sick again. Your pancreatitis diet will NEED to be extremely low fat and mostly meat free except for poultry and fish, until you die. It's a life-long lifestyle change.

EGG Whites for High Powered Pancreatitis Diet Protein

Protein is essential and it is sometimes difficult to get enough while trying to stay well and avoid pancreatitis pain. One of my secret weapons for consuming protein in my pancreatitis diet is egg whites. People will sometimes experience pain from eggs because the yolk contains a fairly high fat content. Unfortunately by eliminating the yolk you also eliminate a good portions of the eggs perfect nutrient content but that can not be avoided when you have an acute pancreatitis damaged pancreas that balks at fat. So ...

Egg whites eliminate the fat but keep the protein and they also have a small amount of the necessary vitamin B-12 that can only be gotten from animal products such as eggs, meat, fish and milk.

Egg white are extremely high in protein while boasting ZERO fat!

Scramble them, fry them (do NOT use oil to do this) and make a sandwich with lettuce and tomato and you are good to go or simply eat them with salt and pepper. I like to put them with something because they have no flavor. You can add them to rice and vegetables, use your imagination just don't use any fat or oil to cook them!

One CUP of egg white will supply 26 grams of protein. Yeah that's about 9 eggs lol but eggs are cheap and egg white has ZERO fat, ZERO cholesterol and lots of protein! So ...

For those of you who wonder how to get the protein you need while healing I just gave you my secret pancreatitis diet weapon - Egg whites!

Got Pancreatitis? DO NOT Drink Alcohol

If you have Pancreatitis alcohol is a deadly enemy. It is extremely toxic to the pancreas and even small amounts can prove very disastrous.

What is more insidiuos is that alcohol hides in many places. It hides in pastry (cookies, cake, etc) as vanilla extract. It hides in cold and flu remedies. It hides in mouth wash. So read labels on EVERYTHING in order to save yourself grief and pain, even death.

Fruit Warning

Alcohol can also be found in overripe fruits. Wines and brandies are made from fruit. So that overripe peach or banana may contain alcohol. It is best to eat fruit as it ripens to avoid the possible alcohol content. In bananas eat them BEFORE the peel begins to "spot." Once the spots appear alcohol is present. In fact you can peel a "spotted" banana and smell the alcohol.

Medicinal Herbs

Pancreatitis Herbs

Herbs for pancreatitis

Cayenne pepper is a spice that really gets blamed unfairly. I know, you've eaten it and within minutes were sicker than a dying dog so it had to be the cayenne pepper, right?

Wrong!

I eat tons of cayenne pepper and never have had one problem.

Do you know why?

Ok, I'll tell you why and it isn't because we are different people.

Let me get something clear right now. No matter what you or your doctor or your best friend in church THINKS ....

You pancreas is the same as mine.

The functions are the same. Which are ...

To manufacture insulin, glycogen and pancreatic digestive enzymes.

Your pancreas and mine weigh about the same, are the same shape (unless some doctor has butchered you or yours has calcified into a piece of bone) and the same color.

A pancreas is a pancreas - get that strait.

The ONLY enemies your pancreas has after suffering damage from pancreatitis are:

1) Alcohol

2) Fat

3) Brain dead people

Many people think herbs and spices cause acute pancreatitis or chronic pancreatitis pain but that usually isn't the case nor does it make sense; especially when talking about herbs and spices such as rosemary, garlic, cayenne pepper, turmeric, ginger, parsley, basil and more which are HIGHLY anti-inflammatory herbs.

Pancreatitis Is Inflammation Of The Pancreas

Acute and chronic pancreatitis boil down to one thing, inflammation. Why would people think that certain spices and herbs cause problems IF those herbs and spices are highly anti-inflammatory? Doesn't make sense does it? Common sense tells me that if I want to douse the fire of inflammation I need to use tools that fight inflammation. Anti-inflammatory foods that contain flavonoids (inflammation fighters) are friends. Embrace them.

The reason people THINK herbs and spices may be to blame is because:

1) They really don't know what triggers an acute pancreatitis attack or propels chronic pancreatitis into an acute attack

2) A dumb doctor or nutritionist told them such and such is bad without correct knowledge

2) They have never done their own food diary so they are just as blind as the dumb doctor or nutritionist

3) They get sick after eating a certain spice and blame the spice rather than the steak, fried potatoes with bacon grease and beer they had yesterday (which were the real culprits).

Alcohol, fat and dumb people are your only enemies.

Spices and herbs are your friends, here's why ...

Rosemary is full of flavonoids, very powerful flavonoids called OPC's or oligomeric proanthocyanidin complexes. Now rosemary doesn't contain the high amounts of oligomeric proanthocyanidins like grape seed extract but rosemary does contain OPC's and those powerful, anti-inflammatory antioxidants will help heal your pancreas.

Cayenne pepper is highly anti-inflammatory and that is exactly why it is such a popular ingredient in arthritis remedies. Now tell me what is pancreatitis? Did you say it is an inflammation of the pancreas? That's right! So if cayenne pepper is highly anti-inflammatory why on earth would it inflame YOUR pancreas? It won't but that steak you had yesterday sure will! Now ...

You can shake your head and think I'm an idiot but just remember this: I'm the one who is pain free. You are the one following "expert" advice from people who call their business a "practice," yet you are still in pain, sick as a dog and searching for solutions.

Who is blowing smoke up whose butt?

Besides, Confucious say: Man who sleeps with face in dirt always have crack up!

Turmeric is one of the best pancreatitis herbs there is. It is extremely anti-inflammatory and relieves inflammation as well as most NSAIDs (aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen etc). There is a lot of research in regards to curcumin (the curcuminoids found in turmeric) which is the ingredient in turmeric that relieves inflammation and pain. Read more about curcumin.

Ginger is in the same family as turmeric and as a result is highly anti-inflammatory but it also helps with nausea and has been a remedy for nausea since before Cristopher discovered Columbus.

Garlic is another herb and spice you should use liberally, in fact eat it raw because it is not only highly anti-inflammatroy but in its fresh, raw state is a natural antibiotic that bugs do not become resistant towards. So ...

Spice up your foods with healing pancreatitis herbs.

Autoimmune Pancreattits Caused by Celiac Disease Requires ... - Gluten Free Vegan Cooking

If you have Autoimmune Pancreatitis due to Celiac Disease you will need to cook Vegan style and Gluten Free. Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disease which means that your own immune system turns into an enemy and your T-cells may attack your internal organs. This may be why you have Pancreatitis.

Long-term, undiagnosed and uncontrolled Celiac Disease likes to pick on your lungs, heart, kidneys, liver and pancreas. IF you have been diagnosed with "Idiopathic Pancreatitis" (your doc has no clue why you have it), you may want him/her to order the new blood test for Celiac Disease. If you test positive he or she will then most likely want you to have a biopsy for definitive proof of CD and to gage the extent of damage to your small intestines.

You may also want him or her to test you for sjogren's syndrome, especially if you are female, because those with Celiac Disease often have sjogren's syndrome as well and both have been associated with Autoimmune Pancreatitis.

The point is this: If you have Celiac Disease and Pancreatitis you will have to learn to cook your meals taking into account BOTH diseases. The following book, addressing gluten free, vegan cooking could be helpful.

Let Me Know You Visited Pancreatitis Diet - Leave a comment, ask a question or flip me the "bird" and let me know you're alive!

John on January 09, 2020:

Thanks for the info. It is extremely helpful to get someone who isn’t biased help others.

I have mild pancreatitis diagnosed because of lipase levels and fatty liver. I have always had bloating and some sharp pains in left side after certain food and I would massage my stomach. Could it be possible that I had mild episodes off and on?

The only reason I visited the doctor In the first place is because everytime I drank booze, my back left side started hurting-like a dull pain. It was so odd that I would stop drinking for the night.

.Can mild pancreatitis cause extreme bloating like your pregnant? What do you think of intermittent fasting? Thoughts?

Also, what do you think of Milk Thistle?

Kathleen on October 21, 2017:

Hi.....I have had bouts of pain in my upper right corner and it goes around to my back.....it comes in bouts.....my Dr. Ran tests but all comes back normal except for liver enzyme is 55 ALT.....how can CP be diagnosed?.....I also have greasy stools for 4 months now?

Priya on July 24, 2017:

Hi,am glad that I found this site...I have a chronic pancreatitis since I was 7 yr old....though for the last 6 yrs,I have no symptoms and pain..but recently in a sonography doc found a small calcium deposit in pancreas.

they said its harmless buy am feeling very low..

TheHealthGuy LM (author) from U.S.A. on August 18, 2015:

Hey Anthony - Thanks for stopping by again and commenting. The cabbage in cole slaw is great, the mayo or other high fat junk such as oil used to make a dressing is not. IF I didn't just answer your question please ask it!

TheHealthGuy LM (author) from U.S.A. on August 18, 2015:

Hi Harriett - Thanks for stopping by and posting a comment. Hope you feel much better soon :-) I doubt Naproxen caused your attack since it's an anti-inflammatory which should have done the exact opposite. I n fact I use Ibuprofen (similar to Naproxen but better) to stop an acute pamcreatitis attack. Has worked every time.

IF you have been diagnosed with pancreatitis and have had 3 acute attacks it is wise to stop drinking, even a little is not a good thing. FAT and ALCOHOL are the two major enemies. Does anyone know why you have had 3 attacks?

TheHealthGuy LM (author) from U.S.A. on August 18, 2015:

Hi Anthony - Glad you like the site. Change is hard sometimes but well worth it considering. Hang in there. Good luck and get well.

anthony on August 15, 2015:

i have a question what bout eating cole slaw

Harriett Hess on August 11, 2015:

just got over my 3rd attack since 2012 so guess I better get with it and not eat. I have been on Naproxen and stopped as I feel it caused this attack ?

I had 2 hip surgeries and took blood thinner and Norco which I feel started this. I drank wine before the hip op. I have had one or 2 drinks this summer but now will never drink again. I really have not been drinking so I am upset but now will stop eating fat ect, not that I did that much before.

anthony on August 11, 2015:

hi im suffering from acute my pain mild last year was when i had the bad attack did not know what cayse it or what to take for the pain i just had on afew days ago .i find ur site very help full im trying to chage my diet its hard