IBD and Getting Enough Fiber

Having Crohn’s, one of the nutritional conundrums I struggle with is how to consume enough vegetables and fiber without irritating my gut. As long as I'm not in a flare, a smoothie is a great solution! The blender takes some of the workload off of my digestive system but the nutrients and fiber content remain.

In each smoothie, I use leafy greens paired with tropical fruits to balance out any bitter flavors. My base is coconut/almond/cashew milk (nut milks have lots of protein and good fats). I throw in any other veggies or fruits I have on hand, and I use the opportunity to sneak in any extra smoothie supplements like ground flaxseed, plant protein powder, collagen, or chia seeds. Because I have leaky gut (as is common in AI disease) and I drink smoothies often, I switch up which ingredients I use so I don't develop an intolerance to them.

In this smoothie, I used kale (a cruciferous vegetable that's great for detox), carrots, cucumber, dandelion greens, coconut milk, flaxseed, and frozen mangoes, strawberries, pineapple and papaya.

Cheers!