Food & Nutrition

A glass of wine with dinner or a pint after work can feel normal, until the next day brings cramping, urgency, or a flare that takes weeks to settle. For people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS, a disorder of gut-brain signalling and gut sensitivity, […]

Many people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) notice that a can of fizzy drink, a sugary snack, or a large portion of certain fruits seems to trigger bloating or discomfort more than other foods do. Part of the explanation may lie not in “sugar” as a single category, but in the specific type of sugar […]

Many people with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis suspect certain foods unsettle their gut, and sugar is often top of that list. Biscuits, fizzy drinks, and sweetened cereals get blamed for everything from bloating to flares, yet the real relationship between sugar and gut inflammation is more nuanced than “sugar is bad”. Understanding what actually […]

Many people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) try cutting carbohydrates to ease bloating, loose stools, or discomfort. It often brings short-term relief, making it tempting to stick with long term. But there is a trade-off happening quietly in the background: the bacteria that help keep your gut lining healthy rely on carbohydrate, specifically fibre, as […]

Many people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) think carefully about diet, not just for comfort but because what they eat seems to influence how settled or reactive the gut feels. Two substances that come up repeatedly in gut health research, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), an omega-3 fatty acid, and butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA), work […]

Many people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) notice that diet seems to influence how they feel, even when no single “trigger food” can be identified. Part of the explanation may lie not in what irritates the gut, but in what nourishes it. One of the most studied compounds here is butyrate, a substance made by […]

Many people living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) wonder whether kefir, kimchi or sauerkraut might help settle their gut or support remission. These foods are natural, have been eaten for centuries, and are often linked to “good bacteria.” But the reality for someone with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis is more nuanced, and understanding what […]

If you have swapped sugary drinks for “diet” versions, or use a sweetener sachet instead of sugar, you may have wondered whether that choice affects your gut. For people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), this feels especially loaded: does this small swap quietly hinder gut healing, or is it harmless? The honest answer is that […]

Many people with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis notice that some meals sit less comfortably than others, even outside a flare. Ready meals, packaged snacks, and fizzy drinks often come up in these conversations, and researchers are increasingly asking whether how food is processed, not just what it contains, matters for gut health. This article […]