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We Wish You a Happy New Year! 

 We look forward to continuing to bring you the latest in nutrition science, and helpful tips and recipes to help you integrate nutrition into your lifestyle. In this newsletter you will find:

• Meal Planning Guide for Beginners - Stay on Track with your Nutrition Goals while Saving Time and Money
• Highlights from AIBD- Key Statements on the Role of Nutrition in IBD Care
• European Crohn's and Colitis Organization (ECCO) - “Holistic IBD Care”
• Comparing Food Groups and Nutrients of the 11 Most Studied Diets for IBD Management
• Zinc Deficiency- Linked to Worse IBD Outcomes?
• Do all Ultra-Processed Foods Shape the Intestinal Inflammation in the same way?
• Celebrate Soup Month with Some Delicious and Nutritious Recipes

Meal Planning Guide for Beginners - Stay on Track with your Nutrition Goals while Saving Time and Money

The New Year is a time when many of us set goals and intentions to improve our health through daily habits like eating better, exercising and stress management. Meal planning can be a powerful tool in organizing an eating schedule, helping us stay on track with our nutrition goals and reduce the stress of constantly figuring out what to eat. 



When following a specific dietary plan that requires most food to be homemade, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. Careful planning helps you stick to dietary guidelines, avoid unwanted foods, and enjoy balanced, nutritious meals, often while saving time and money. This guide breaks down practical steps for beginners to build effective meal planning habits that fit any lifestyle.

Highlights from AIBD

Nutritional Therapy for IBD team at the booth with Russell Cohen, MD and Kelly Issokson, RD, sharing evidence-based resources to advance nutrition as part of care for all patients with IBD.

ECCO Conference

We’re excited to attend the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO) Conference in Stockholm, Sweden, from February 18–21, 2026.

With the theme Holistic IBD Care, ECCO 2026 will unite the global IBD community to drive collaboration and multidisciplinary, patient-centered care grounded in the latest science.



Stop by the Exhibit Hall to connect with Nutritional Therapy for IBD, discover our evidence-based nutrition resources that support comprehensive IBD care, and learn more about our upcoming transition to the GI Nutrition Foundation—expanding our mission to advance nutrition across more chronic GI conditions.

A Review Explores Food Groups and Nutrients of Diets Investigated in IBD

A timely review from Lihi Godney and colleagues updates the strengths and weaknesses of the 11 most studied diets for IBD management, focusing on:

✅ Food groups highly recommended/allowed/excluded in each diet

✅ The main indication(s) for each diet

✅ The type of evidence supporting each diet

💡Personalized dietary counseling by trained IBD dietitians is key to integrating dietary approaches into standard care, ensuring nutritional adequacy, and improving quality of life.

📸 Summary of nutrition composition of diets investigated in IBD:

Zinc Deficiency Linked to Worse IBD Outcomes

✅ Up to 45% of patients with IBD have zinc deficiency 👉 more common in Crohn’s disease, including patients with remission

✅ Zinc deficiency is linked to:

🔸⬆ C-reactive protein and fecal calprotectin

🔸⬆ rates of:

👉 surgeries

👉 hospitalizations

👉 IBD-related complications

Not all Ultra-Processed Foods Shape Intestinal Inflammation and Health the Same Way

While diets ⬆️ in ultra-processed foods but ⬇️ in fiber are associated with an increased risk of Crohn’s disease, not all ultra-processed foods are created equal

✅ Not all foods which are defined as ultra-processed in food classification systems based on the degree of food processing are of poor nutritional quality

👀 A colourful candy cane is not equally unhealthy as a high fibre, no added sugar breakfast cereal

✅ Salt, saturated fatty acids, “trans” fatty acids, and added sugar ➡️ altered gut microbiota and intestinal barrier ➡️ could exacerbate IBD severity

✅ Food additives are the components of ultra-processed foods most investigated in IBD:

👉 Carboxymethylcellulose and Polysorbate 80 have been reported to thin the mucus layer and induce a proinflammatory gut microbiota

👉 Carrageenan contributes to exacerbations of UC and an increased risk of relapse

👉 Emulsifier restriction is backed by a properly done, double-blind randomized controlled trial for active Crohn’s

Soups can be one of the most nourishing meals, filled with nutrient dense foods and in an easily-digestible form. With most of the country experiencing the cold months of winter, there is no better time to put a pot of comforting soup on the stove. Search our whole recipe database of soups here.

We are grateful for the collaboration and support of our Corporate Partners!

*Please note that Nutritional Therapy for IBD does not provide medical advice. The content provided here is for informational purposes only. Patients should always talk with their healthcare providers before changing their diet.*