How Blending Fruit Can Improve Digestion with Crohn's & Colitis

I spend a lot of time talking about fibre and there is good reason for it. It’s a catch-22 in the world of IBD. On the one hand it can be problematic and difficult to navigate, but on the other hand it can alter the state of our gut and improve inflammation markers, thereby improving symptoms. When it comes to fruit, it sits in the middle of this debate as most fruit contains a substantial amount of fibre but is often more tolerable than many vegetables and grains. Oftentimes, navigating fruit comes down to understanding where the problematic areas are, such as the skins and seeds. As is always the case with those of us living with IBD, we all have individual tolerances and our ability to digest specific foods differs from person to person. Luckily, there are ways around this and blending fruit might be the answer you've been waiting for to add more variety back into your diet without worrying as much about the repercussions later.

Blending – One of the best ways to change the physical structure of fibre and make fruit easier to tolerate is to blend it. By breaking down the skins, your digestive system has less work to do, meaning fruits like apples and pears can often become more manageable. Seeds are a little trickier because many blenders won't completely break them down, but if they are something you know you struggle with, straining your smoothie afterwards can help remove many of the larger particles while still keeping most of the nutritional value. It's also worth remembering that blending doesn't remove the fibre from fruit, it simply changes its structure, allowing many people to tolerate it more easily while still benefiting from its fibre.

Another benefit of blending is that it reduces the amount of chewing needed. That might not sound like much, but chewing is the first stage of digestion and when you're dealing with abdominal pain, fatigue or reduced appetite, getting nutritious food in with less effort can make a real difference. Smoothies can also be a fantastic way to slowly increase the variety of fruit in your diet, introducing one fruit at a time before gradually building up your intake as your confidence and tolerance improve.

One mistake I often see is people assuming that because fruit is blended they can suddenly eat large amounts without any issues. Unfortunately, that's not usually how it works. Start with a fruit you already know you tolerate reasonably well, such as banana or ripe mango, then gradually introduce new fruits one at a time. If something doesn't agree with you, it's much easier to identify the cause. Choosing ripe fruit rather than underripe fruit can also improve tolerance, as it tends to be softer and easier to digest.

Finally, remember that blending isn't about replacing whole fruit forever. Think of it as a stepping stone rather than a permanent solution. As your symptoms settle and your confidence grows, you can gradually work towards eating more whole fruit again if that's your goal. As with everything in IBD, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. The aim is simply to find practical strategies that allow you to eat a wider variety of nutritious foods while keeping your symptoms under control.