IBD is fundamentally different from IBS: it involves measurable inflammation and structural damage to the gut wall, detectable on biopsy and imaging. Crohn’s disease can affect any segment of the GI tract; ulcerative colitis is limited to the colon. Both are autoimmune-driven and require medical management — often including anti-inflammatory medications, biologics, or surgery.
Nutritional needs in IBD are complex. Active disease impairs absorption of nutrients including iron, B12, vitamin D, zinc, folate, and calcium. Energy and protein requirements rise during flares. Exclusive enteral nutrition (liquid formula feeding) is a first-line treatment in paediatric Crohn’s disease.
During remission, a varied wholefood diet is generally well tolerated. There is no single “IBD diet” — individual tolerances vary widely. Certain exclusion diets (specific carbohydrate diet, CD-TREAT) show promise in research but lack large-scale trial evidence.
Dietary changes in IBD should be guided by a specialist dietitian and gastroenterologist.