Is chocolate available for pancreatitis?
The homeland of chocolate is South and Central America. In the 16th century this Indian-discovered delicacy came to Europe, where the aristocracy, spoiled with various culinary delights, quickly won. Much later it became available to ordinary people. Today, chocolate - white, milky, black, porous, with fillers and additives - can be consumed both in its pure form and used as an ingredient in a variety of confectionery dishes.
Many sweethearts do not represent their lives without this delicious product, and scientists are not tired of giving all the new arguments in favor of its positive impact on the human body. But is it possible to eat chocolate with pancreatitis and other pancreatic diseases?
Useful properties
Favorite by many people delicacy has not only excellent taste and aroma, but also has a positive effect on their physical and moral condition. Chocolate has the ability:
- to activate the activity of the brain due to the presence of theobromine alkaloid;
- stimulate the work of the heart at the expense of its theobromine and potassium;
- to prevent diarrhea due to the effects of flavonoids;
- moisturize throat and relieve cough;
- smooths premenstrual syndrome due to the magnesium content;
- to combat age-related changes and malignant cells due to the presence of antioxidants;
- have a general cytotoxic effect;
- to raise the mood due to the antidepressant effect of tryptophan, serotonin and produced endorphins and enkephalins.
What can not be done in the acute phase?
Pancreatitis can be attributed to those diseases in the treatment of which the emphasis is on compliance with the diet, and medical intervention is secondary.
In acute inflammation of the pancreas, which is accompanied by severe pain, during the first 2-3 days, you should generally give up food.
Hunger is necessary for the affected organ to ensure rest, because the development of enzymes necessary for digesting food occurs directly during meals, and the inflamed pancreas during this period reacts quickly and sharply to many dishes.
The list of prohibited products includes chocolate, which:
- in its dark varieties contains oxalic acid and caffeine that activate the formation of pancreatic juice, which provokes a deepening of the pathological inflammatory process;
- is rich in easily digestible carbohydrates, which causes the weakened organ to increase insulin production, creating the prerequisites for the development of a disorder of carbohydrate metabolism;
has a high sensitizing activity, which provokes and maintains the allergic factor of inflammation; - contributes to the complication of the disease due to contained nuts and other additives with a high fat content.
Remission period
You can resume the use of your favorite dessert only after the process of inflammation subsides. In this case, it is important to remember that it is recommended to start with bitter sorts of chocolate containing less fat, or from white chocolate, which of all the constituents of cocoa has in its composition only its deodorized oil without theobromine and caffeine.
Too much will remind you that chocolate should be at the same time without any fillers and additives.
Restrictions on use
Chocolate is an undesirable product in diseases of the pancreas. However, if you do not abuse this delicacy, even with pancreatitis, there will be no harm from it. Of course, speech in this case can not go about the period of exacerbation of inflammation, during which the patient is prescribed fasting or a strict diet.
Modern medicine recommends the following maximum daily intake rates for chocolate in the presence of:
- of chronic pancreatitis:
- during an exacerbation - chocolate is contraindicated;
- during the phase of persistent remission - 40 grams;
- Acute pancreatitis - chocolate is contraindicated.
Patients with pancreatogenic diabetes are allowed special varieties of sweets with sugar substitutes.
Changing the chocolate
With pancreatic diseases, you can easily find a harmless alternative to chocolate. It can become:
- unsweetened fruit varieties, for example, pears and apples;
- compotes, jelly, jelly and dried fruits with low sugar content;
- cookies in a limited number, to a good choice which can be attributed drying and biscuits.
Good and strong health is the foundation of a happy long life. But unfortunately, many people think about it when the disease is already making itself felt. Patients with pancreatic inflammation for well-being and a full-fledged life without symptoms of pancreatitis need to follow a diet with limited use of such goodies as chocolate.
