Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas. It occurs when digestive enzymes attack the pancreas and surrounding tissue, causing severe pain. People with pancreatitis often lose weight even if they have a good appetite, according to MayoClinic.com. Treatment for pancreatitis involves pain management, oral digestive enzymes and a high-calorie, low-fat diet.
Diet Basics
The amount of fat in the diet for pancreatitis depends on your tolerance but should be limited to less than 30 percent of total calories. That means about 60g of fat on a 2,000-calorie diet. Pancreatitis increases your metabolic rate, and in addition to decreasing your fat intake, you also need to increase your calorie intake to prevent weight loss. High-calorie low-fat food choices include juice, dried fruit, nonfat milk, bread and starches. Eating small, frequent meals may be better tolerated.
Breakfast
A breakfast meal for pancreatitis may consist of a bowl of whole-grain cereal with nonfat milk, a banana, a cup of orange juice and a hard-cooked egg. Or eat a toasted English muffin with 1 tsp. of margarine, jelly, a container of nonfat yogurt, some fresh cantaloupe and a cup of nonfat milk. Eating foods high in antioxidants, such as fruits and vegetables, may help alleviate your pancreatitis symptoms, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Mid-morning Snack
A mid-morning snack idea may consist of a container of nonfat yogurt and a cup of blueberries. You can also try graham cracker squares with jelly.
Lunch
Fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains are naturally low in fat and make healthy choices for your diet for pancreatitis. For lunch on your pancreatitis diet menu, try a turkey sandwich made with 95 percent fat-free turkey meat on two slices of whole-wheat bread, mustard, lettuce and tomato, and served with a tossed salad with low-fat salad dressing, canned fruit packed in heavy syrup and some pretzels. You can also try a whole-wheat pita stuffed with hummus, a fresh apple and a cup of nonfat milk.
Mid-afternoon Snack
For a mid-afternoon snack, try a toasted whole-wheat bagel with low-fat or fat-free cheese or air-popped popcorn.
Dinner
Meats can be a source of fat in the diet. Choose lean cuts such as skinless poultry, fish, beef eye of round, pork tenderloin, veal and lamb chops. Trimming meat of all visible fat and using low-fat cooking methods such as roasting, grilling and broiling can also help you reduce your total fat intake. A healthy, high-calorie, low-fat dinner on a pancreatitis diet menu may include roasted chicken with roasted red potatoes, peas and a side salad with low-fat salad dressing. Another dinner meal may consist of a grilled hamburger made with 93 percent lean ground meat on a whole-wheat hamburger bun, served with corn on the cob and pasta salad made with low-fat Italian salad dressing.
