Indian Diet plan for Pancreatitis (Acute and Chronic Pancreatitis Food List)

Last updated on February 23, 2021 | RD, Payal Banka (Registered Dietitian) Leave a comment

Our body is a beautiful creation of nature. It's so complicated and yet it works effortlessly in healthy conditions. The backbone of this efficient function is the endocrine system in the body. The endocrine system is a network of glands that produce hormones that help cells function properly. The pancreas is one such endocrine gland that controls our blood sugar levels. Read on to learn more about Indian Pancreatitis Nutrition Plan (List of Foods for Acute and Chronic Pancreatitis).

Everything about pancreatitis:

What is pancreatitis?

The pancreas is a long, flat gland in the upper abdomen. Its functions are:

Release digestive enzymes into the small intestine. Hence, it helps digest food.
Release insulin and glucagon into the bloodstream. These hormones help your body control how it uses glucose as fuel for energy.

Pancreatitis occurs when digestive enzymes are activated while they are still in the pancreas. It irritates the cells of the pancreas, causing inflammation. Inflammation of the pancreas is known as pancreatitis.

Types of pancreatitis

The two forms of pancreatitis are acute and chronic.

Acute pancreatitis: Acute pancreatitis is sudden inflammation that lasts for a very short time. Timely treatment leads to a faster recovery.
Chronic pancreatitis: With the recurrence of acute pancreatitis, there is constant damage to the pancreas, which leads to chronic pancreatitis.

Symptoms of pancreatitis:

Symptoms of acute pancreatitis

High temperature.
Increased pulse.
Nausea and vomiting.
Bloating.
Upper abdominal pain radiating backwards. The pain worsens after a high-fat diet.

Symptoms of chronic pancreatitis

Constant pain in the upper abdomen radiating backwards.
Diarrhea from incomplete digestion of food.
Indigestion causes weight loss.
Vomiting, especially after meals.

C.Auses of pancreatitis:

Acute causes of pancreatitis are:

Autoimmune Diseases: It causes damage to your own cells, which causes scarring and inflammation.
Alcohol abuse: Excessive alcohol consumption in a short time leads to acute pancreatitis.
Repeated infections: The recurrence of infection overworks the pancreas and leads to inflammation.
Gallstones: It blocks the channel that releases the pancreatic enzymes. This leads to enzymes that the pancreatic cells digest.
Metabolic disorders: Metabolic disorders such as long-term diabetes deplete the pancreatic cells and lead to pancreatitis.
Trauma: Any trauma to the pancreas can lead to inflammation.

Chronic pancreatitis causes are:

Family history: It can be inheritance.
Gallstones: Repeated gallstones lead to chronic inflammation of the pancreas. (Read About Cholecystectomy)
High triglycerides: Excess triglycerides above 1000 mg / dl lead to inflammation of the pancreas.
Alcohol abuse: The pancreas converts alcohol into a toxic metabolic by-product that is harmful to the pancreatic cell. The enzymes begin to digest the pancreatic cells before being released, resulting in chronic pancreatitis.

Complications of longstanding or untreated pancreatitis:

Diabetes mellitus: The inflammation can damage the cells of the pancreas and affect insulin and glucagon secretion.
Pancreatic infection: Acute pancreatitis weakens the pancreatic cells, making them susceptible to infection.
Malnutrition: Damage in pancreatic cells affects the secretion of digestive enzymes. A lack of enzymes leads to decreased nutrient absorption and digestive disorders. This leads to malnutrition, diarrhea and weight loss.
Pancreatic cancer: Long-term inflammation makes the cells vulnerable to scarring in the tissue. This could be a risk factor for developing pancreatic cancer.
Pancreatic necrosis: Pancreatic cells die from damage to the pancreatic cells.
Pseudocyst: Acute pancreatitis can cause fluid and debris to be retained in the pancreatic cells, leading to an infection known as a pseudocyst. It can burst and infect the pancreas and also cause internal bleeding.

What is the treatment for pancreatitis:

The infected pancreas needs antibiotics.
Food intake does not meet requirements, so intravenous fluids are given.
There are indigestion, so a low-fat or liquid diet is preferable.

Indian diet plan for pancreatitis

Nutritional management

Treating acute or chronic pancreatitis includes similar nutrition tips for managing pancreatic health.

The pancreas can increase acid secretion in the stomach. Hence, it is usually accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
Excess water in the intestines can lead to diarrhea.
The digestion and absorption of nutrients is impaired by the defect in pancreatic enzyme activity.
A lack of fat digestion can also lead to fatty stools or steatorrhea. Therefore, a low-fat or non-visible fat diet can treat both types of pancreatitis.

List of foods for acute and chronic pancreatitis; Food to eat:

Here is a list of foods to include in the pancreatic diet. The diet for treating pancreatitis must be Moderately high in protein, with little or no visible fat, and a moderate amount of complex carbohydrates.

Proteins: Consume a moderate amount of lean or good quality protein. These include lean chicken, fish, low-fat milk and products, protein, nuts, and defatted soy. Lentils, dals, sprouts and beans.

Fats: Consume low-fat milk and products, high quality fats, MCT oils like coconut, seed oil or ghee.

Carbohydrates: Consume a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. These include whole grains, millet, bran, psyllium, and unrefined flour.

Foods rich in antioxidants: Include enough fruits, vegetables, and nuts that contain antioxidants. It reduces the stress on the gland and helps in better recovery and prognosis.

List of foods for acute and chronic pancreatitis; Food to Avoid:

High fat foods: Avoid fatty, fried foods. As well as organ meat and junk as it is very high in fat. Avoid whole milk and its products. A high-fat diet has a negative impact on the secretion and action of pancreatic enzymes. Avoid trans fats in your diet.

Refined foods: Junk, refined flour, sugar, and all strained juices all require pancreatic enzymes for digestion and absorption.

Indian diet plan for acute pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis requires a very strict diet that is low in or free from fat. First, patients are held NBM (zero by mouth). When the pain and symptoms subside (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or GI disorders), we begin a liquid diet. Start with soft foods only when the liquid diet is well accepted by the body.

Sample diet for acute pancreatitis: (liquid diet without fat)

Early morning: Lemon water (no sugar)

Breakfast: 1 glass of coconut water

Having lunch: Blended Dal

Evening snack: Mix vegetable and fruit juice or buttermilk together

Dinner: Mixed Rawa Kanji

Bedtime: Low-fat almond milk with turmeric

Indian Diet Plan For Chronic Pancreatitis:

Chronic pancreatitis requires a normal low-fat diet with changes or modifications based on symptoms.

Example diet for chronic pancreatitis:

Early morning: 1 teaspoon of soaked jeera seeds in 1 cup of water

Breakfast: 1 cup of green tea + 2 steamed idli or 1 plain dosa with sambar

Morning: 1 fruit

Having lunch: 1 cup of vegetable soup + 2 chapati + 1 cup of vegetables + 1 cup of low-fat cottage cheese

Afternoon: 1 cup of steamed rice + 1 cup of dal

Evening snack: 1 cup of low-fat cinnamon milk + 1 cup of Upma or Rawa Appam

Dinner: 1 cup soft boiled rice + 1 cup sambar + 1 cup vegetable juice

Bedtime: 1 cup of low-fat milk

What to Eat After Pancreatitis Episode:

The first rule in pancreatitis is to avoid alcohol and smoking. Alcohol and smoking directly affect pancreatic damage.

Keep yourself hydrated at all times. Nausea, vomiting, or stomach problems can lead to dehydration.

Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day. This will reduce the stress on the pancreas. Acute pancreatitis may require only a liquid diet and then a soft diet as symptoms subside. Chronic pancreatitis, which occurs after repeated acute pancreatitis, requires a low-fat diet under the guidance of professionals.

Eat fruits and vegetables as you normally would, but avoid excessive fiber intake in a single meal. It can cause gas or other stomach problems that make pancreatitis symptoms worse.

Use MCTs as a source of visible oil so that pancreatic enzymes are not needed for digestion. Coconut oil, palm kernel oil, or ghee are the best options.

Add multivitamin supplements to the diet. The diet must be low or no visible fat diet in order for the pancreas to recover faster.

EndNote:

In either case, the acute or chronic salvage function of the pancreas is the main goal. The main goal of the pancreatic diet is to relieve symptoms and not put additional strain on the pancreas. The moderate low protein low fat diet with a sufficient amount of fiber does the trick.