What Foods Should Be Avoided When Having Pancreatitis?

Pancreatitis is an autoimmune disease. During the onset of the disease, patients can only supplement nutrition through intravenous injection, which can reduce the secretion of pancreatic juice. After treatment, pancreatitis patients should mainly eat liquid foods at the beginning of their diet, pay attention to a light diet, and avoid greasy, spicy, salty, and sweet foods. Mainly because difficult-to-digest foods can promote the secretion of pancreatic juice, thereby aggravating the pancreatitis condition.

Since pancreatitis is a self-digestive disease, patients with acute pancreatitis need to fast from all foods. Daily nutritional support can only be provided through intravenous nutrition to reduce pancreatic juice secretion.

Greasy foods are not only difficult to digest but also promote bile secretion, which can activate pancreatic digestive enzymes and thus worsen the condition. Therefore, foods such as fatty meat, peanuts, and sesame should not be consumed. Additionally, pancreatitis patients who consume greasy foods are prone to diarrhea.

Fried foods have a high oil content and contain cracking products such as acrolein during high-temperature processing, which can stimulate the biliary tract, leading to acute biliary spasms and biliary colic.

In daily diets, patients should avoid foods with strong flavors. Foods that are too sour or spicy can stimulate increased gastric juice secretion, which can burden the pancreas. Foods like chili and vinegar should be consumed sparingly or avoided.

Alcohol has a significant stimulatory effect on the pancreas and can cause damage. It is recommended to quit drinking. Excessive alcohol consumption can increase pancreatic external secretion, stimulate Oddi sphincter spasms, leading to obstructed pancreatic juice excretion and increased intraductal pressure. Long-term alcohol consumption can also increase protease levels in pancreatic juice, leading to protein plugs and impeded pancreatic juice excretion. Acute pancreatitis often occurs after heavy drinking.

High-fat foods can stimulate the secretion of gastric acid and pancreatic juice, which is an important cause of acute exacerbation or persistent chronic pancreatitis. Fat intake should be strictly limited. Even during the recovery phase of pancreatitis, daily intake should not exceed 20-30 grams.

Excessive salt intake can lead to increased pancreatic congestion and edema, so a light diet is essential. Foods such as preserved meat and salted eggs should be avoided.