The pancreas is responsible for making insulin to regulate your blood sugar and digestive enzymes to break down your food. Problems resulting from your pancreas can include pancreatitis, diabetes, pancreas tumors or a deficiency of the pancreatic enzyme. Diet might improve some of these conditions, but consult your doctor for treatment of pancreatic problems.
Vegetables
A study by the University of California in San Francisco found that eating five or more servings of vegetables or both vegetables and fruit per day has correlated with a 50 percent decrease in the risk of pancreatic cancer. Onions, garlic, dark green leafy vegetables, yellow vegetables and cruciferous vegetables showed the most protection against pancreatic cancer. Tomatoes and light green vegetables provide some protection, although less than the others. Fruit, especially citrus fruit, also provides some protection, although less than vegetables.
Nutrients
Vitamins, minerals and antioxidants are important for pancreatic health. Include foods that are high in antioxidants in your diet, as these might block free radicals that could harm your pancreas, and might also improve symptoms of pancreatitis. These include a number of fruits and vegetables, especially brightly colored ones like blueberries, tomatoes, cherries, bell peppers and squash. Consume foods that will provide B vitamins, calcium and iron to your diet, as they might help your pancreas. These include green leafy vegetables like spinach, sea vegetables like seaweed, whole grains, dairy and meat.
Special Considerations
Eat low-calorie foods to keep your total caloric level down. These include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, light dairy and lean meat and seafood. A study by the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center found that a low-calorie diet reduced lesions in the pancreas that caused cancer. Also, attempt to stay away from refined foods, red meat, coffee, tobacco, alcohol and trans fats. Instead, choose lean meat and seafood, legumes, healthy unsaturated fats and other natural foods. Further, keep the fat content in your diet low and drink enough fluids. It might help to eat small meals frequently instead of three large meals, as this might lower symptoms of pancreas problems, according to MedlinePlus.
Triglycerides
You can develop pancreatitis, or pancreas inflammation, from high triglycerides, or fat in the blood. Changing your diet to take out alcohol and lower the amount of fat you take in, as well as watching the foods you eat to regulate your blood sugar if you have diabetes, can all help your triglyceride levels and pancreatitis. You might also need to make some other changes, so talk to your doctor.
References
- Jackson Siegelbaum Gastsroenterology; Pancreas Disease; Frank W. Jackson
- University of California San Francisco; High-Vegetable Diet Linked to Protection Against Pancreatic Cancer; Elizabeth A. Holly; September 2005
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Pancreatitis
- MedlinePlus: Chronic Pancreatitis
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; Calorie Restricted Diet Prevents Pancreatic Inflammation and Cancer; April 2008
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