Read ALL of this post because cabbage is as likely to cause pancreas pain or acute pancreatitis as you are of winning the lotto tonight, this week or this year. Cabbage and other vegetables are NOT your enemy, instead, they are your friend!! But …
I can not say the same for pancreatitis support groups.
I can not recommend support groups because most are comprised of sick people who do not learn and give off way to much BAD information. I’m not trying to be obnoxious or condescending. Support groups have their uses I suppose but the sharing of quality information usually isn’t a strong point. Here is a prime example:
Poster: “I have had CP for four years and only been in the hospital once but last night I thought I was on my way to ER. Has anyone had a problem with eating a cucumber or cabbage? I had both last night and was able to stay home with my pain meds but still not feeling too good. Just liquid and crackers for a few days.”
Answer #1 “i eat cucumber every day and it does nothing-its one of my ‘safe’ foods but i gave up cabbage ages ago…………… after an attack”
Answer # 2 “Haven’t eaten cabbage, but do okay with cucumber. Hope you feel better soon :)”
Poster: “Thanks, guess I will skip the cabbage.”
Now I can guarantee you cabbage is not the problem. Why would cucumber, a vegetable, cause ZERO problems while cabbage, also a vegetable FULL of antioxidants, does?
Does that make sense?
Cabbage Is Full Of Antioxidants!
Antioxidants do a myriad of chores within the human body, one of them being to fight oxidation. Many also fight diseases such as cancer by actually killing cancer cells. Many found in cabbage also fight inflammation [3]. Cyanidin [4] is one that does and is found in – “drum roll please” – CABBAGE!
I am tired of wasting my time with people who enjoy being sick. That is why I have decided not to waste my time in support groups. I have told these same people and provided EVIDENCE to back up what I say yet they do NOT listen. So why waste the time? But …
What really concerns me is that people who may want to learn how to heal join these support groups that are full of erroneous information and they get led by people who have not taken the time to do their due diligence and learn the real problem. Now is there a miniscule possibility that …
Cabbage Could Cause a Problem?
ANYTHING is possible. The sky could fall today but I really doubt it will, don’t you? Cabbage causes gas in some people, just like broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables but farting is far cry from pancreas pain or an episode of acute pancreatitis isn’t it?
So what may be the culprit?
First you need to know what the person ate WITH the cabbage. For example did she:
1) Have corned beef and cabbage? If so it was the corned beef causing the problem not the cabbage.
2) Put the cabbage in a salad such as cole slaw (mayo) or top it with some sort of oily, high fat dressing? If so, then it was the mayo or oil that caused the problem.
3) If the poster would have said I ate the cabbage and cucumber raw with NOTHING else my next question would be what did you eat yesterday and the day before? I would ask this because …
Raw or boiled cabbage (by itself) is as likely to be the cause of the posters complaint as you or I are of winning the lotto this year.
I eat TONS of cabbage. But …
I NEVER eat it with beef or oily dressing. In fact I usually eat it raw or cook it in some manner that does not require oil or animal fat (no oil, no fat, no grease, no pam spray, nothing) and top it with only spices like salt, pepper, garlic and sometimes cayenne pepper for some kick.
Cabbage by itself has NEVER made me sick but I can tell you that BEEF and cabbage or cole slaw or something similar may make me VERY sick. But for you unbelievers, who do not want to think of any reason why you need to give up your high fat foods and so blame the innocent, please, don’t take my word for it read this vegetable research that happens to back up what I say. Then …
Be sure to have corned beef and cabbage or cole slaw or some salad that includes cabbage all smothered in an oily, high fat dressing today, tomorrow or this weekend, get sick and then …
Blame the cabbage!
References:
1) Use of antioxidants to treat pain in chronic pancreatitis – Read
2) Antioxidants as Adjunctive Therapy for Pain in Chronic Pancreatitis – Read
3) Antioxidant properties of raw and processed cabbages – Read
4) Cyanidin-3-glucoside suppresses cytokine-induced inflammatory response in human intestinal cells: comparison with 5-aminosalicylic acid – Read
I have pancreatits and cabbage is my hero!! I had heard that cabbage was bad which is how I found my way here. I’d like to share that cabbage, broccoli, cucumbers, salad and beans all gave me terrible tummy troubles (not nearly as bad as the pancreatitis did) for the first month or so but after that my body adjusted and the tummy troubles stopped. For anyone trying to get their health under control for any reason, stick it out through the digestive issues of switching to a healthier eating style, it is well worth it. Thanks Health Guy for the article!
You are welcome Samantha – glad you liked it and thank you for your great comment about your personal experience! I know I have forgotten to mention that switching to a healthier eating lifestyle that includes WAY more fiber than most people are used to consuming could cause some digestive issues at first so your explaination will help others! 🙂
I understand that cabbage might be full of antioxidants but it’s strictly listed as a food to avoid on a long term pancreatitis diet because it causes too much stomach acid. I have recurrent pancreatitis and I don’t eat meat- just boiled cabbage on st paddys day, for example, and today it caused severe pain that lasted hours. I don’t have the luxury of obtaining the wonderful antioxidants from cabbage. I also can’t eat avacado because it’s high in fat and causes a ton of pain regardless of all it’s great health benefits otherwise.
Hi Anna – let me ask you was the cabbage boiled with the corned beef? I am just curious cuz I have been eating cabbage for the last two days and not one symptom. In fact I eat it a lot. Fried potatoes, cabbage and onions are one of my fav dishes. IF your cabbage is cooked with something like beef it is no wonder you have problems. But hey, if you don’t eat cabbage I doubt you’ll die from malnutrition cuz there are plenty of other veggies to choose from. And yes, avocados do have way to much fat. They do cause problems for a damaged pancreas. Thanks for your comment I hope you feel better soon 🙂
I am new to this diet this week. I LOVE cabbage. But I also love it with Ketchup. Is Ketchup good or bad? I haven’t tried it since the attack which happened Monday of this week. Also I love stuffed Cabbage and Dolmades. Can I substitute wheat bulghar instead of ground beef – or any other suggestions?
Thanks for all your help in starting my life change! Most comprehensive site I’ve read since leaving the hospital on Thursday.
All the best!
Linda
Hi Linda – Ketchup is fine. But you’ll have to stuff the cabbage with something else and bulgar is fine. As for other suggestions EVERYTHING God led me to and taught me is on this site. Really everything is on this site all you have to do is read, learn and do. I can’t promise results. I can’t suggest a form of treatment (I’m not a doc). All I can do is share what I did.
I also had pancreatitis and I lost most of my pancreas and all of my spleen. I eat cabbage at least 4 times a week cooked in veggie broth.. I love cabbage and the thing they told me to stay away from is oil, meat fat and high starch. That was 5 years ago and I live my life everyday with cucumbers,and cabbage.which does cause gas but not pancreas pain..If you don’t like cabbage don’t eat it. But don’t blame it for your pancreas. I do know you are not supposed to drink alcohol or too much fatty meat. I live everyday with the pain but it’s from the scar tissue not the cabbage. Hope this helps.
Hey Kels Mom – thanks for your comment. Thanks for visiting. It is refreshing to hear someone say something that confirms my post. Like I said in the article I eat a lot of cabbage and cucumbers and other things that people blame for their pain and never have an issue but if I ingest oil (and it doesn’t take much), red meat, pork, or other high fat, inflammatory foods I’m sick in no time flat. Thanks again for your input! 🙂
I used to be in a low protein diet mainly with raw vegetables and fruit, then small amount of extra virgen olive oil, some nuts, organic greek natural yogurt and fish twice a week. Felt great for 2 years or so and all bloating and digestion issues dissapeared. Then after 2 years I started having loads of joint and muscle pain, still great digestion, but no doctor could help with this pain. Eventually I discovered that problem was in my diet, as I was constantly in a low protein diet by not consuming enough animal protein., my body didnt produce enough collagen to regenerate muscle and joints. I then decided to start eating more meat again, not huge amounts , only about 3 oz steak or chicken or fish once a day. Within a week my muscle pain improved but landed acute pancreatitis, despite the rest being healthy diet as before.
Due to my body reaction I can tell that due to mainly vegeterian diet before, my body stopped producing as much stomach acid and digestive enzime as needed to process protein and fat again. I now had to stop all fats for a few days as otherwise the pancreas inflammation keeps cpming back and causes that terrible burning feeling on left side of abdomen and really bad bloating, as well as burping, gases, etc that I didnt have till 10 days ago before increasing protein.
I started trying with digestive enzymes and they help but nothing seems to help if I eat meat or fish again, reason why I decided to give the pancreas a good break and let inflammation subside.
I wanted to ask if you have tested trying to add more ox bile or ox salts supplements when you eat more protein, and if that has helped to digest them better, avoiding more pancreatitis. If so, what amounts have you tried? I know it changes depending on amount of fat in meal but just for a rough idea.
Thanks very much
Hi Noe – I have never done anything with ox bile except to take the enzymes I use which contain ox bile. Yes, protein is necessary and one can get enough by eating foods such as 1) beans (black, red, white, kidney, lima, garbonzo etc), 2) lentils, 3) peas 4) egg whites, 5) skinless chicken breast (cooked so that any fat drips/drains off while cooking), 6) white meat fish (cod, pollock, red snapper, rock fish, perch, pike, bass, crappie, walleye, etc). ALL of those listed are LOW FAT, HIGH PROTEIN. Oil (any kind) nuts (any kind), seeds (sunflower, flax, etc) should all be avoided unless you like pain. I try to stay at 5 grams of fat per meal. Some people tolerate more, some less. But steak (or any red meat) doesn’t work. Pork doesn’t work and the dark meat of chicken and turkey can prove to be too much fat as well. And sometimes one can ‘cheat” and do well for a time and then bam! It’s all over now.