8 Foods to Avoid for Crohn’s Disease
Crohn's DiseaseTaking Control of Crohn’s

8 Foods to Avoid for Crohn's Disease

If you know your food triggers, you can gain more control over your symptoms.
8 Foods to Avoid for Crohn's Disease
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Updated on May 28, 2025
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8 Foods to Cut Back On or Cut Out to Help You Manage Crohn’s Disease

Learn how to manage Crohn's disease symptoms with smart dietary choices in this simple and straightforward way.
The symptoms of Crohn’s disease vary from person to person. They may come and go, and sometimes certain foods can trigger worsened symptoms, such as abdominal pain and diarrhea.

Although no one diet can alleviate all Crohn’s symptoms, limiting or avoiding certain foods could help you get some relief. Be sure to discuss any dietary changes with your doctor or dietitian first. These eight foods are common triggers of Crohn’s symptoms.

1

Red, Processed, and Fatty Meats

red meat
People with Crohn’s disease may be sensitive to certain compounds in pork and beef that can worsen symptoms, says Devinder Kumar, PhD, a professor of gastrointestinal surgery at St. George’s University in London.

If you include meat in your diet, choose lean cuts of meat that are low in saturated fat and provide high protein content without causing as much inflammation, says Barbara Olendzki, MPH, RD, an associate professor of medicine and the director of the Center for Applied Nutrition at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Because red meat can be hard to digest, Olendzki recommends choosing fish, bison, elk and other types of protein that have more beneficial fats than inflammatory fats.

2

Lactose-Containing Dairy

types of dairy
Inflammation in the gut can make it harder to digest lactose, a sugar found in milk and other dairy products.

If you limit or cut out dairy foods that contain lactose, look for other sources of calcium and vitamin D, which can include soy, almond, or fortified rice milk; calcium-set tofu; canned sardines; and dark leafy vegetables, such as cooked kale, collard greens, and spinach.

 Olendzki says that yogurt, kefir, and some hard cheeses contain little lactose and may provide beneficial probiotic cultures.
3

High-Fat Foods

butter stick
Fried foods and high-fat meals with large amounts of cream, butter, or oil can aggravate Crohn’s symptoms, causing abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and diarrhea.

 One reason for this may be that the fats in these foods are often not fully absorbed in the small intestine.

Instead, stick to healthier fats, such as monounsaturated fats — peanut butter, olives, and olive, canola, or sesame oils, for example — says Angel Planells, RDN, a Seattle-based spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

He also recommends polyunsaturated fats, which are found in fatty fish and soy milk.

Try to aim for foods with omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon and nuts, too, which may help relieve inflammation.

4

High-Fiber Foods

raw broccoli

Although fiber is an important fuel source for the healthy bacteria living in the gastrointestinal tract, high-fiber foods can be difficult for many people with Crohn’s disease to digest.

For some people with Crohn’s, eating foods high in insoluble fiber (stems and seeds) can aggravate symptoms such as bloating, gas, and abdominal pain, Olendzki says, especially during a flare or if you have strictures (narrowing of the intestines).

To help your body digest fibrous foods during a flare, avoid:

  • Fruit and vegetable skin
  • Raw produce with seeds intact
  • High-fiber whole grains

Opt for low-fiber fruits, such as bananas and melons, and cook vegetables instead of eating them raw. To avoid cutting out these nutritious foods entirely and make them easier to digest, Olendzki recommends pureeing them or making them into smoothies.

5

Some Nuts and Seeds

walnuts
Nuts and seeds are packed with heart-healthy fats, protein, and fiber.

 But some seeds, such as popcorn kernels, and raw nuts can be difficult to digest.

Olendzki recommends trying ground seeds and seed flours, such as flaxseed meal, which you can sprinkle on oatmeal or yogurt to add a bit of nutty flavor. She suggests trying small amounts first to see how well you tolerate it.

Opt for creamy nut butters — such as peanut, cashew, or almond — which can be easier to digest, or try nut flours, such as almond or hazelnut flour, as a baking substitute for wheat-based flour, she adds.

6

Spicy Foods

chilli peppers
Spicy foods, including those high in capsaicin, are a common trigger of Crohn’s disease and inflammatory bowel disease.

 They may cause inflammation and inhibit production of important gastric acid.

Effects vary by person, however. You can try small amounts of each spice individually to see if it suits you, Olendzki says.

7

Alcohol and Caffeinated Beverages

cup of black coffee
The effects of caffeinated drinks can vary from person to person. The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation recommends avoiding caffeinated drinks in general — such as coffee, tea, energy drinks, or sodas — and instead choosing noncaffeinated drinks, such as water or smoothies.

Alcohol use and Crohn’s are often connected, with alcohol sometimes worsening Crohn’s symptoms.

 Wine, for example, usually contains sulfites, a food preservative to which many people are sensitive, Olendzki says.

“For those not having a [Crohn’s] flare, a 6-ounce glass of wine for women, and up to 12 ounces for most men, could be fine,” she says, adding that the impact depends on your liver’s ability to process the alcohol.

8

Sugar

stacked doughnuts

Removing almost all added sugar from your diet could improve Crohn’s disease symptoms, says David L. Suskind, MD, a gastroenterologist and co-chair of the nutrition subcommittee at Seattle Children’s Hospital.

Although researchers haven’t found a clear link between sugar and Crohn’s disease, Dr. Suskind says that by reducing added sugar, people may also be eliminating most processed foods, which tend to trigger Crohn’s disease symptoms.

Try not to consume more than the daily recommended amount, which is 6 teaspoons a day for women and 9 teaspoons a day for men.

The Takeaway

  • Certain foods and beverages may be symptom triggers for Crohn’s disease and similar gastrointestinal disorders.
  • Some foods can cause or worsen symptoms in some people but not others.
  • Fiber and some fats can be hard to digest, but not all are bad for people with Crohn’s disease.
  • Always discuss dietary changes with your healthcare professional to ensure you are making healthy choices.

Additional reporting by Linda Thrasybule.

Resources We Trust

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Crohn’s Disease. Cleveland Clinic. December 4, 2023.
  2. What Should I Eat? Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.
  3. Aziz T et al. Dietary Implications of the Bidirectional Relationship between the Gut Microflora and Inflammatory Diseases with Special Emphasis on Irritable Bowel Disease: Current and Future Perspective. Nutrients. June 29, 2023.
  4. Food Sources of Calcium. Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
  5. Diet, Nutrition, and Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.
  6. Malnutrition and IBD. Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.
  7. Monounsaturated Fats. American Heart Association. October 25, 2023.
  8. What Are Good Fats? University of Maryland Medical System.
  9. Vitamins, Minerals, and Supplements. Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.
  10. A Nutritional Plan for Anyone Living With Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis. Cleveland Clinic.
  11. Nuts and your heart: Eating nuts for heart health. Mayo Clinic. November 15, 2023.
  12. Xiang Q et al. Capsaicin, the Spicy Ingredient of Chili Peppers: Effects on Gastrointestinal Tract and Composition of Gut Microbiota at Various Dosages. Foods. February 25, 2022.
  13. Added Sugars. American Heart Association. August 2, 2024.
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Reyna Franco, RDN

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Reyna Franco, RDN, is a New York City–based dietitian-nutritionist, certified specialist in sports dietetics, and certified personal trainer. She is a diplomate of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and has a master's degree in nutrition and exercise physiology from Columbia University.

In her private practice, she provides medical nutrition therapy for weight management, sports nutrition, diabetes, cardiac disease, renal disease, gastrointestinal disorders, cancer, food allergies, eating disorders, and childhood nutrition. To serve her diverse patients, she demonstrates cultural sensitivity and knowledge of customary food practices. She applies the tenets of lifestyle medicine to reduce the risk of chronic disease and improve health outcomes for her patients.

Franco is also a corporate wellness consultant who conducts wellness counseling and seminars for organizations of every size. She taught sports nutrition to medical students at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, taught life cycle nutrition and nutrition counseling to undergraduate students at LaGuardia Community College, and precepts nutrition students and interns. She created the sports nutrition rotation for the New York Distance Dietetic Internship program.

She is the chair of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine's Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist Member Interest Group. She is also the treasurer and secretary of the New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, having previously served in many other leadership roles for the organization, including as past president, awards committee chair, and grant committee chair, among others. She is active in the local Greater New York Dietetic Association and Long Island Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, too.

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