What is the best protein shake for Crohn’s disease?

drink wholesome is the best protein shake for Crohn’s disease.

Written by Jack Schrupp & endorsed by Baylee Reller, RDN

What is Crohn’s disease? 

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Crohn’s disease, also known as Crohn’s, is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes chronic inflammation in the digestive tract. It occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells, leading to inflammation.

Living with Crohn’s is stressful. Certain foods can trigger symptoms, known as flares, like diarrhea and stomach pain. Over time, flares can lead to weight loss and malnutrition.

The exact cause of Crohn’s disease is unknown, but it is thought to be a mix of genetic and environmental factors. There is also no known cure for Crohn’s, but there are various ways to manage symptoms and reduce inflammation. One of the most common is making dietary modifications. By avoiding certain foods or types of foods, you can reduce gastrointestinal symptoms and support gut healing.

Are protein shakes good for Crohn’s disease?

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Crohn’s-related inflammation increases your protein needs. In fact, adults with Crohn’s need almost twice as much protein as healthy adults.

Many Crohn’s patients do not eat nearly enough protein, which can have a negative effect on the progression of IBD. Clinical research has found that dietary protein plays an important role in the mucosal healing process after a flare, so not eating enough protein makes it hard to heal.

Adding a protein shake to your diet is an easy way to eat more protein and promote healing. That said, not all protein shakes are good for Crohn’s disease.

Many protein supplements contain a cocktail of added junk that can cause flare-ups and long-term gut health problems. Some of the top offenders are emulsifiers, thickeners, sugar substitutes, and flavorings. Continue reading to learn more.

Which protein shake is best for Crohn’s disease?

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Everyone’s gut is different, and what triggers symptoms for one person may not trigger them for someone else. That said, there are a few rules of thumb that anyone with Crohn’s disease should follow when buying protein shakes.

First of all, the fewer the ingredients the better. Fewer ingredients generally means fewer potential triggers. Second, the simpler the ingredients the better. The more your protein shake looks like real food, the less likely it is to upset your stomach. This means that the best protein shake for Crohn’s disease is made with a short list of simple ingredients. Keep reading to learn more. 

Why drink wholesome? 

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drink wholesome is additive-free.

One of the reasons why we make the best protein shake for Crohn’s disease is that we do not use food additives. Most additives cause inflammation and unpleasant side effects in individuals with Crohn’s disease. 

Firstly, additives, because they are not real food, are hard to fully break down. This means they linger in your gut, feeding your hungry gut bacteria. Gut bacteria release gas as they eat, so more time to eat means more gas. As you might imagine, excess intestinal gas can cause bloating, flatulence, and stomach pain. It can also slow the movement of food through the colon, leading to constipation. In some cases, partially digested food additives have the opposite effect, causing your colon to absorb extra water, which can trigger osmotic diarrhea.

Here is a list of the most common food additives in protein shakes:

acacia gum, acesulfame potassium, artificial flavors, aspartame, carrageenan, cellulose gum, dextrin, dextrose, erythritol, gellan gum, guar gum, gum arabic, inulin, locust bean gum, “natural” flavors, maltodextrin, rice syrup solids, soy lecithin, silica, sucralose, sunflower lecithin, xanthan gum, xylitol

In the long term, regularly eating food additives can disturb regulatory pathways in your intestines, causing widespread inflammation and even the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Eating lots of food additives, especially artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols, can also disrupt the balance of your gut microbiome – the community of microorganisms living in your gut. An imbalanced gut microbiome is another leading driver of inflammation.

our ingredients: 

egg whites, coconut, maple sugar, vanilla

the alternative:

Protein Matrix Comprised of (Whey Protein Concentrate,  Whey Protein Isolate, Calcium Caseinate, Micellar Casein, Milk Protein Isolate, Egg Albumen, Glutamine Peptides), Polydextrose, Sunflower Creamer (Sunflower Oil, Corn Syrup Solids,  Sodium Caseinate, Mono- and Diglycerides, Dipotassium Phosphate, Tricalcium Phosphate, Soy Lecithin, Tocopherols), Natural and Artificial Flavor, MCT Powder (Medium Chain Triglycerides, Nonfat Dry Milk, Disodium Phosphate, Silicon Dioxide), Lecithin, Cellulose Gum, Salt, Yellow 5, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, Papain, Bromelain

drink wholesome is dairy-free.

Another reason why we make the best Crohn’s disease protein shakes is that we do not use dairy-based proteins like whey and casein. Whey and casein contain lactose, the sugar in dairy, which is known for causing digestive discomfort. This is especially the case for people with lactose intolerance, which affects most adults. Having lactose intolerance means you lack the enzymes needed to fully digest lactose.

drink wholesome is made with real foods.

A final reason why we make the best Crohn’s protein shakes is that we do not use protein concentrates or isolates. Nearly all other protein supplements are made from one or both of these protein sources, which undergo extensive processing. Concentrates or isolates have been stripped of everything but the protein, often using solvents like hexane. The end result looks nothing like real food.

Your digestive system is designed to break down minimally or unprocessed real foods, not heavily-processed protein concentrates or isolates. This is why a growing body of research suggests that regularly eating ingredients like these can alter your gut microbiome. As you just learned, an altered gut microbiome is the last thing you want if you have Crohn’s disease.

Instead of using protein concentrates or isolates, we make the best protein shakes for Crohn’s disease with egg whites and almonds. These simple ingredients are a gut-friendly alternative to protein isolates and concentrates. For starters, both egg whites and almonds contain enzymes that help you break them down. Protein isolates and concentrates, on the other hand, have been stripped of these natural digestive aids.

Egg whites are also low in fiber, low FODMAP, alkaline (maintaining healthy pH levels in your gut), and bioactive (promoting the growth of healthy gut bacteria). In fact, our happy customers have reported fewer digestive problems with our egg white protein powder than with any other type of protein supplement.

For those on a vegan diet or unable to eat eggs, our vegan almond protein powder is a great, plant-based alternative. Almonds are prebiotic, meaning they nourish the diversity and composition of your gut microbiome. They also support healthy and regular bowel movements. In conclusion, we take great pride in making protein powders with minimal processing so you can enjoy the benefits of protein supplementation without compromising your gut health.

easy to digest

“I’ve had Crohn’s disease for 20+ years and it’s always been hard to find a protein powder my stomach can handle. I’ve had no problem digesting drink wholesome AND it tastes great. I highly recommend this protein powder if you have IBS or Crohn’s.” – Jesse

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