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Dietary Strategies for IBD: Mediterranean

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Quality Rating

☆☆☆☆☆

⭐Criteria for starring system:

Incorporates appropriate microbiome strategies
Incorporates appropriate gut healing strategies
Inflammation reduction is a priority
Long-term symptom reduction
Easily implemented
Reduces disordered eating patterns

⭐Caveat for starring system: This system is our opinion based on the available research at this time. We reserve the right to modify our recommendations as new literature is published and we learn more about the complexities of IBD. Review our recommendations with an appropriate amount of discretion and understand that oftentimes there is not a one size fits all approach for every situation.

Mediterranean Style Eating Pattern

Overview:

A significant reduction of malnutrition-related parameters and liver steatosis was observed in both Crohn’s Disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC) patients after short-term dietary intervention based on the adoption of Mediterranean Diet (MD), and this was associated with a spontaneous improvement of disease activity and inflammatory markers.
Our findings highlight the unique effects of MD on the gut microbiota and suggest that integrating MD principles into a person’s lifestyle may serve as a preventive method against cancer and other gut-related diseases.
In two prospective studies, greater adherence to a Mediterranean diet was associated with a significantly lower risk of later-onset CD.
Collectively, our findings support the feasibility of improving the habitual diet to modulate the gut microbiota which in turn has the potential to promote healthier aging.
The Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) was not superior to the MD to achieve symptomatic remission, Fecal Calprotectin response, and CRP response. CRP response was uncommon. Given these results, the greater ease of following the MD and other health benefits associated with the MD, the MD may be preferred to the SCD for most patients with CD with mild to moderate symptoms.
In patients with UC after pouch surgery, adherence to MD is associated with decreased calprotectin levels. Thus, MD may have a role in modifying intestinal inflammation in IBD.