While people with Crohn’s disease may not tolerate cow’s milk well, that doesn’t mean that everyone with Crohn’s should completely cut milk from their diet, says Sophie Medlin, RD, a consultant dietitian at City Dietitians and chair of the British Dietetic Association for London. “Milk is such an important source of key nutrients, including B12 [and] iodine, and [it’s fortified with] vitamin D, so it is essential to remember that if you don’t have symptoms when you drink dairy milk, then there’s no need to cut it out if you have Crohn’s disease.”
Just be thoughtful about any symptoms you do have, Medlin says. If you think that milk may be making your symptoms worse, try eliminating it for two weeks, to see if your symptoms improve. Medlin says that while plant-based alternatives are good options, they aren’t the same as dairy.
