Digesting the facts: recent progresses in nutritional therapies for inflammatory bowel diseases

Imbalanced dietary intake is common in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Studies on pre-illness dietary intake identified risk and protective food groups and nutrients. Based on these findings, the American Gastroenterological Association states that patients with IBD will benefit from a diet rich in a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, monounsaturated fats, complex carbohydrates, and lean proteins while being low in ultraprocessed foods, added sugar, and salt. Malnutrition is common in IBD, especially Crohn’s disease. Nutritional therapies were initiated to improve the nutritional status of the patients, and happen to induce remission in many patients. However, nutritional interventions may achieve better outcomes by incorporating the findings on the dietary risk and protective factors for IBD.