Managing Symptoms Of Crohn’s Disease: 3 Tips When Ordering Chinese Food

If you are among the 1.6 million Americans that suffer from an irritable bowel disease like Crohn's disease, you'll know that ordering takeout is not as simple as picking out several interesting dishes from a menu. You actually have to put in some thought as to what you're ordering in order to avoid irritating your digestive system and provoking a flare-up. If you absolutely love fast Chinese food, here are 3 tips you need to keep in mind.

Avoid Heavily Spiced or Spicy Dishes

Flare-ups can be easily triggered by numerous different types of seasoning or even by spicy dishes. Your digestive tract simply can't handle or digest the spices well. Spicy foods easily irritate the gastrointestinal tract, causing inflammation. When ordering Chinese food, choose dishes that tend to be mildly seasoned and tend to contain very little spice. Don't order any spicy dishes like the ones from Sichuan.

Order Lots of Cooked Vegetables

The right type of fibers can really help soothe your stomach and your digestive tract. They can help alleviate gas and stomach pains, but only if they are cooked, as raw vegetables and fruits actually provoke flare-ups. Fortunately, you'll find a lot of steamed or boiled vegetable dishes at Chinese restaurants. Most of these steamed dishes are seasoned with just a little bit of salt; however, others have a little bit of sauce dribbled over them. Make sure you ask the kitchen to go easy on the sauce – especially if the sauce is very strong. If you have a choice, choose sauces that are milder in flavor.

Lean Towards Oily Fishes

Oily fishes contain omega-3 fatty acids that help manage symptoms of Crohn's disease and prevent flare-ups. Steamed fish are the best. Not only are they nutritious, but they are also easy on the stomach. A lot of Chinese restaurants that serve Chinese food will steam various types of fish with a little bit of soy sauce for flavor. Green onions are commonly used as garnishments. These dishes go really well with just a bowl of rice.

Don't let Crohn's disease stop you from ordering the foods and cuisines that you love. You just have to be careful when ordering from the menu to avoid ordering dishes and ingredients that might irritate or provoke your digestive system. There are plenty of Chinese foods that can cater to your more sensitive digestive tract.

For more information, contact local professionals like Empress Express.


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