IBD Nutrition Information Online: What to look for and what to be wary of

There is so much nutrition information available online for people living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), including Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. Unfortunately, not all of it is accurate, reliable or based on scientific evidence.

It can be difficult to know what to believe, particularly when some of the information sounds very convincing.

So, how can we tell whether the IBD nutrition information we're reading online is trustworthy?

Here are 9 things to be wary of and 4 things to look for when deciding who to trust for nutrition information and support.

9 things to be wary of when getting IBD nutrition information online

Think twice about information that:

  1. Promises a 'magic' medicine, ingredient or product.

  2. Encourages you to go against medical advice.

  3. Suggests diet can replace medication.

  4. Insists you need expensive private tests, such as food intolerance or microbiome stool tests.

  5. Claims IBD can be cured.

  6. Encourages you to cut out whole food groups without a medical reason.

  7. Promotes the same restrictive diet for everyone with IBD.

  8. Recommends 'detoxes', 'gut cleanses' or 'gut healing protocols'.

  9. Relies on personal success stories rather than scientific evidence.

These are all things I would encourage you to be cautious of, whether you are getting information from social media, websites or someone offering 1:1 nutrition support.


4 things to look for in trustworthy IBD nutrition information

There is also lots of good, reliable nutrition information available online. The important thing is knowing what to look for.

When looking for information about nutrition and IBD, look for someone who:

  1. Is a Registered Dietitian or Registered Nutritionist specialising in IBD.

  2. Has clinical experience working with people living with Crohn's Disease or Ulcerative Colitis.

  3. Uses scientific evidence to support the information they share, rather than relying on personal opinion.

  4. Takes a balanced approach to nutrition, doesn't promote a one-size-fits-all diet and understands that there are many nuances when it comes to nutrition and IBD.

If you would like personalised, evidence-based nutrition support for your Crohn's Disease or Ulcerative Colitis from someone you can trust, I would be honoured to help you.

Through my 1:1 clinic (via video call), we can work together to help reduce your symptoms, expand the foods you feel comfortable eating and take away some of the worry you have around food, so you can get back to enjoying meals and living your life with more confidence.

Learn more about 1:1 Support
Clemmie Oliver