According to published research in Nutrients (PMC4843040), the modern Western diet is a direct hit to your gut lining.
It alters your microbiome, weakens your gut barrier, drives inflammation, and increases risk and relapse in IBD — Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis alike.
But here’s the part no one talks about:
Some diets make it worse. Some make it better. And most advice is totally disconnected from how the gut actually works.
First: What wrecks the gut
The Western diet — low in fiber, high in refined carbs, sugar, seed oils, and processed food — does the following:
- Reduces protective bacteria
- Promotes inflammatory strains (like E. coli)
- Increases intestinal permeability (aka leaky gut)
- Activates immune overdrive
That’s the groundwork for IBD.
Now let’s look at the actual diets studied — and what the paper says.
Exclusive Enteral Nutrition (EEN)
Basically, a liquid formula diet. It’s the only dietary intervention consistently shown to induce remission in Crohn’s — especially in children.
Why?
- Reduces antigen exposure
- Gives the gut a break
- Lowers microbiome-driven inflammation
It's clinical starvation with nutrients — and it works temporarily. But it’s not sustainable long‑term, and relapse is common when real food returns.
Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)
Cuts out complex carbs, grains, starches, and refined sugars. The goal: starve out pathogenic gut bacteria.
The paper reports symptom improvement and reduced inflammation, though evidence is still early‑stage.
For some, it’s a miracle. For others, it’s too restrictive to sustain — and may starve the beneficial microbes too.
Low‑FODMAP
Targets fermentable carbs that feed gas‑producing bacteria. Good for IBS‑like symptoms (bloating, gas, urgency).
But the review warns:
- It reduces total microbiota diversity
- May harm long‑term gut resilience
Great for relief. Not great as a forever plan.
Mediterranean Diet
High in olive oil, vegetables, legumes, fish, moderate dairy. The paper notes:
- Anti‑inflammatory effects
- Increased microbiome diversity
- Improved quality of life in IBD patients
It’s not trendy, but it works — especially when adapted to individual tolerances.
Vegetarian & High‑Fiber Diets
More fiber = more short‑chain fatty acid production (especially butyrate), which protects gut lining and regulates immune response.
But:
- Not all fibers are tolerated during flares
- Raw vegetables can worsen symptoms if bile flow or digestion is impaired
Useful for remission support — but timing and food form matters.
Bottom line?
There is no one‑size‑fits‑all gut diet. But there are some clear truths backed by actual research:
- The Standard Western Diet fuels gut destruction.
- Microbiome matters. Fiber matters. Food additives matter.
- You can’t supplement your way out of inflammatory eating.
You either feed inflammation, or you feed repair.
If you want to start somewhere, drop the fake health foods (seed oils, almond milk, protein bars), eat cooked vegetables and slow‑cooked meats, and figure out what your gut can actually digest — not what mainstream medicine tells you is “clean.”