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Popcorn, seeds, nuts??

When your kids are in good, solid remission, do you let them eat nuts and seeds and popcorn and all the foods that typically aren't good for people with Crohns?

Even though the stricture had been removed and everything is going well, my mind is still locked in low residue, low fiber mode. DS wants popcorn sooooooo badly, but... I just can't do it.

Do you let your kids indulge and have you ever regretted it?

Ironically, he's a asleep and I'm sitting here munching on popcorn! Shhhh!
 
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Im in biochemical remission ATM (Havnt had scopes to see how the mucosal layering is ATM) and I recently started trying pecans again, they definitely hurt a bit I think, so I'd be careful, when the mucosal lining of the intestines is 100% healthy I dont see why there'd be a problem, but as for popcorn, I'd stay well away from that, it's just bad for you in general (hurts me to say that because I miss popcorn sooooo much haha)
 

Tesscorm

Moderator
Staff member
Since diagnosis, Stephen has eliminated all seeds (including those in berries), nuts and popcorn. The only exception has been any seeds on (non-homemade) pizza (we strain or puree tomato sauce at home for him). Stephens in clinical remission (no symptoms) but MRE/scope do show inflammation.
 
Location
Canada
Now that my son is feeling well I let him have nuts and seeds. It is mostly in the form of crunchy peanut butter and seeds in berries. It has not been a problem for him. We were never instructed to avoid them long term but he also does not have any strictures.
 
Have to say I am paranoid about causing any problems. I still do not allow Andrew any popcorn, nuts and seeds (although if seeds/nuts are baked into something I am not quite as strict)
I figure there are few things Andrew isn't allowed to eat, it is better to be safe than sorry
 

my little penguin

Moderator
Staff member
We actually asked the Gi about this one .
For DS at least he said absolutely no popcorn seeds or whole nuts - only nut butters .
Not worth the risk - hull less popcorn is ok
 
I let Johnny have some popcorn.:ack:

Our old GI said it was okay occasionally and in moderation. I haven't asked the new GI but maybe I should....
 

crohnsinct

Well-known member
My daughter hasn't had surgery or strictures but once on her way to remission our GI said all nuts and seeds were O.K. and to just chew well. The only thing he said he will never add back in is popcorn. Shame cuz she does love it. She eats Pirates Booty as a substitute.
 
Liam adores popcorn but it does seem to give him bad stomach aches so I try to keep it away from him. Seeds and nuts I let him have as they don't cause any symptoms. Given he's not diagnosed and his scans/scopes to date haven't shown anything I'm only cutting out artificial things and foods that I suspect are causing him issues.

I'd not heard of hullless popcorn before. Just looked it up sounds worth a try will see if I can track it doubt. Thanks for mentioning it :)
 
When he is well Ryan will eat seeds on strawberries (his fave fruit) and I allow nuts if he chews the heck out of them. Popcorn, I haven't allowed that one except for maybe picking the fluffy part around the hull. These things will bother him though if he isn't doing well.
 
We were told we didn't have to avoid seeds or nuts unless we noticed a problem with them. Devynn eats nuts very rarely (usually cashews) and when she does I remind her to chew really well. She used to love popcorn, but we have noticed that when she eats it (ESP at the movies with butter) she gets a stomach ache. She's never had a problem with fruit with seeds.
 
No popcorn here either and Jack does love it. He eats seeds from things like strawberries (will eat his weight in them if I let him), rasberries, but no sunflower seeds, which is killing him now because everybody in the dugout eats them. He will usually eat skittles or red licorice and his team has taken to calling him the "candy man".
Eats nuts but only small amounts at a time and chews them really well. He is in "remission" now.
 

Tesscorm

Moderator
Staff member
Samantha, strange that you and I both mostly likely had the same dietitien (at least from the same clinic) at the same hospital but Stephen was told 'no' to the seeds, etc. He's such a picky eater re fruits and veggies and two of the few fruits he liked were blackberries and blueberries... even these, the dietitien said no (she said maybe blueberries but only in moderation).

Wonder if there's a difference with UC vs Crohns??
 
Our GI gave us a pretty extensive "Never eat again list." Including: popcorn, seeds, nuts, apple peelings, potatoe skins, corn, raw veggies (outside of small salads once/twice month) and fatty meats.

Initially VERY difficult. This was my "Ma, I need a snack!" kid - that I would find sitting at the kitchen table munching on a cucumber. Every once in a while he will eat a couple of peices, but he de-seeds, it.
 
I keep H (clinical remission) away from seeds, nuts, and popcorn. Ever tried to peel a strawberry? Doable, but not easy! He is still mostly low residue, low fiber, dairy free. Thanks, MLP, for mentioning Hull-less popcorn; I had never heard of it and H LOVED popcorn pre-ibd.
 
I'm going to have to look up hull-less popcorn. Interesting! We usually do Pirate's Booty as a popcorn sustitute.

Thanks for all the input everyone...
 
Tess, we've never actually seen the dietician, I spoke to her on the phone only. It was Devynn's previous GI who said we didn't have to avoid, just keep track. I guess I should prob ask the new GI, although I haven't met her either.. just the nurse practitioner.
 
Just ordered some hulless popcorn. Lots of happy dancing going on in the kitchen right now. It's the little things in life... :)
 
Same here, - I told Jack about it and he was begging and pleading for me to order some, hubby was pretty excited as well - hasn't had popcorn in 20 years
 
Location
,
Our GI or dietitian has never mentioned not eating popcorn, seeds or nuts. For those of you that have been told that they can't eat these foods....did you happen to ask or were you just told.
Anyway my daughter eats all of these with no problems...but now yous have got me thinking could the popcorn be doing damage.:eek:
 
Upsetmom - Our GI told us to avoid them, but at the time we had a long and angry stricture going on in the small intestine. It's probably worth asking about at your next appt just to see what they think.

I think there is going to be a spike in hulless popcorn sales today :) Thanks, MLP!
 

crohnsinct

Well-known member
Upsetmom: we were only told that because O was in the hospital at dx and very much inflamed. She was on low residue diet. But within a few months they added everything but popcorn in. Our doc says the popcorn doesn't necessarily cuase damage but rather the concern is blockage should there be inflammation.
 

Tesscorm

Moderator
Staff member
Our doc says the popcorn doesn't necessarily cuase damage but rather the concern is blockage should there be inflammation.
We were told pretty much the same thing but dietition included seeds and pieces of nuts (not smooth nut butters) in the blockage concern.
 
Ours was a direct order. "Never, ever again list" is what she called it. With the popcorn she stated that the body doesn't digest the hull and hence it runs through the GI track. A "nick" can be awful for a person with Crohn's and it isn't worth it.

We also do the lactose free milk products and veggie cheeses.
 
Still trying with the popcorn order. The site I picked said they did international orders but then refused to accept any of our credit cards. What company did everyone else order from?
 
I looked on Amazon (not sure if that is available to you Maree) and they had several different kinds. Anyone find a brand they think is really good??
 

DustyKat

Super Moderator
With my kids being older when diagnosed I have let them experiment with what they eat.

Sarah: Is now vegan/raw vegan and so does eat nuts and seeds and they don't seem to bother her at all.

Matt: For most of his life he has been most happy and comfortable with low residue foods! White and bland, yep, that's Matt! :lol: Post surgery nothing has changed.

Dusty. :)
 
Unsalted peanuts aren't actually bad for many people with Crohn's. hazelnuts and walnuts, yes, peanuts not so much. I even got no problem with salted peanuts, but not in massive quantities.

Popcorn is an interesting dilemma. Eating prepackaged salty or otherwise flavored popcorn is definitely a problem. Same with cinema popcorn. My trials, however, have shown that, while not recommended, self made popcorn (popped in veggie oil, not butter) and unsalted (at maximum slightly salted) doesn't cause that much problems. Of course, as always, it's the combination. Popcorn with a big bottle of coke as a substitute to dinner definitely is among the worst things People with Crohn's should have.
 
I was told the same about the hull being indigestible and scratching the gut or getting caught in an ulcer and causing an abscess. The same goes for nuts, seeds, etc.

I found some popcorn chips at Publix the other day. Ryan does love them and no hulls. They look like a puffy dorito and taste like a buttery rice cake. But for Ryan, he says they are close enough!
 
We just got our hulless popcorn in the mail today. I have to admit I was a little disappointed... still saw some hulls, just in miniature. It was way to salty tasting for me, but Lukas loved it.

I also just picked up a bag of chia seeds, mostly for my own health, but am wondering if anyone else uses/eats them. I'm seeing mixed reviews on the internet on whether chia is good for Crohn's or not.
 
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