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Crohn’s disease is a bowel disorder that affects around 120,000 Brits. Sufferers experience diarrhoea, vomiting and weight loss due to intestinal inflammation that can be very painful. Researchers have discovered that certain types of fibre can help prevent bacteria from finding a home in the intestine’s walls which slows down the progression of the disease. And the stars of the show are broccoli and plantain.

All fibres are not created equal

Fibre, also known as ‘roughage’, is a carbohydrate found in plants. It speeds up digestion, and keeps us regular. Soluble fibre (fibre that passes through the body undigested) in plantain and broccoli has been found to have a positive effect on Crohn’s disease, while soluble fibre from other sources like apples and leeks are not as effective. And some types of soluble fibre (like that found in corn on the cob) can actually worsen Crohn’s disease.

The study

Professor Jonathan Rhodes, a gastroenterologist at Liverpool University, led the laboratory study that will be published today in the British Medical Journal. He and his team added the commonly found E coli bacteria to bowel lining cells they had grown in a laboratory, then tested them with fibre from different fruits and vegetables. Rhodes said, ‘Soluble fibre might have a beneficial effect by blocking adhesion to the intestinal lining of potentially harmful bacteria.’

A plantain a day

According to Rhodes, those with Crohn’s disease would probably have to eat a plantain a day to notice an improvement in their condition. Bananas, which are more commonly available in Britain, are also likely to be helpful, but more of them would need to be eaten as they contain less soluble fibre than plantain does. How much broccoli would need to be eaten to have a positive effect on Crohn’s disease is unknown.

Plantain is quite versatile and can be fried, served sweet, served as chips or made into porridge. Check out this recipe for some more inspiration.

Tags: eating healthily