# Sardines for Crohn's Disease and other IBD



## David (Jan 28, 2012)

One of my new favorite foods is sardines.  These little suckers are chock full of amazing amounts of nutrients such as vitamin B12, vitamin D and protein that people with IBD desperately need.  And because they are low on the food chain, they contain very little mercury and other contaminants that larger predatory fish may have.

From WHFoods:






In addition, sardines have a ton of N3 fatty acids which are the beneficial anti inflammatory fatty acids.  Most of us have WAY TOO MUCH n-6 fatty acids in our diet.  The ratio of n-3 to n-6 should be 1-2 or so and most of us have 1-20 or so!  Not good as n-6 fatty acids are inflammatory.  I'm personally working really hard to get my n-3 - n-6 ratio improved.

Now check out the minerals found in sardines.  So many of these are absolutely integral for people with IBD.  Iron, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium and more.  







So head to Costco or your local store and get a can of sardines.  If you already eat them or try them, please report if they negatively affect you in any way.  And if you have any tasty ways to enjoy sardines, please share those as well!

Just don't make the mistake I did and leave a couple mostly empty cans in the inside house trashcan for a few days


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## mikeyarmo (Jan 28, 2012)

Thanks for sharing David!

Good timing... I also decided this month/year to really work on improving my omega 3 -6 ratio. Most of what I eat for meals is fine, but I was snacking exclusivley on nuts, which is very high in omega-6 overall.  People often say Wal nuts are a good source of omega 3, but when you look into it you see that they contain over 4 times as much omega 6 as they contain of omega 3.  When it comes to eating nuts, Macadamia nuts are supposed to be a good choice as even though they contain more omega 6 than omega 3, the primary fat in these nuts is monosaturated fat.

Ok clearly I like talking about nuts too much....

I occasionally have sardines as they have them in a nearby store in a can packed with tomato sauce and no preservatives/sugars.

My biggest problem is that I don't really enjoy the taste of them. I am fine eating all other fish and many other different types of food so I guess I just don't know a good way to prepare them. 

I have also started taking flax seeds daily as they have a good omega 3 to 6 ratio. I would recommend that most IBD sufferers who were interested in taking them move to the oil in case you have trouble digesting the seeds.

Anyways I would be curious if anyone can share a good way to prepare the sardines as they obviously are a great source of nutrition for people with IBD.


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## Astra (Jan 28, 2012)

mmmm yummy yum yum!
Sardines in tomato sauce is best!


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## David (Jan 28, 2012)

That's fantastic that you're working on your N-3 - N-6 ratio Mike!  We should start a thread on it with an info post then discussion   I'll see if I can get that going late tonight.  No promises though!



mikeyarmo said:


> I occasionally have sardines as they have them in a nearby store in a can packed with tomato sauce and no preservatives/sugars.
> 
> My biggest problem is that I don't really enjoy the taste of them. I am fine eating all other fish and many other different types of food so I guess I just don't know a good way to prepare them.


I've never enjoyed the taste of them either.  I recently purchased a case from Costco thinking I'd be holding my nose as I ate them but these are packed in olive oil and are quite good right out of the can!  I'd love to hear other recipes people have, however.



mikeyarmo said:


> I have also started taking flax seeds daily as they have a good omega 3 to 6 ratio. I would recommend that most IBD sufferers who were interested in taking them move to the oil in case you have trouble digesting the seeds.


Yes yes yes!  For anyone out there reading this, make sure your flax oil is refrigerated when you buy it and keep it refrigerated.  It will go rancid fast otherwise.  I have a killer salad dressing recipe that uses flax oil that I'll share in the n-3 - n-6 thread.  I also add about a tablespoon to all of my fruit smoothies


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## DustyKat (Jan 28, 2012)

Before Sarah changed her diet to vegan she ate quite a bit of fish but unfortunately oily fish didn't agree with her. She hasn't been able to tolerate any type of dietary oil since her surgery.  Matt isn't as bad but I notice he too has some issues with dietary oil. 

Dusty. xxx


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## ThanksP (Jan 28, 2012)

A couple years ago I had read about Sardines benefits.  I thought I'd hate them, but I was surprised, they are actually pretty good.  I prefer Mackerel filets, but they aren't as easy to find.  I read that the bone-in sardines are high in calcium too but I can't bring myself to try them.  I usually take the sardines or mackerel, crush them up into a canned tuna consistency, add a drop or two of Tabasco sauce and eat them on a cracker.   Has anyone tried the sardines with the bones?  Are they crunchy?

The worst part of eating Sardines is that it drives my cats batty.  The second they hear the can crack open, they are at my feet screaming for some fish.  I always have to share them with the furry little critters.


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## scoutfinch (Jan 28, 2012)

I like fresh sardines, but have never tried canned sardines.  Does anyone know if the nutritional benefits are comparable?

The idea of canned fish is a little gross to me (don't even get me started on canned MEATS) - even though I'm aware that many types of canned fish have excellent nutritional value.


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## Crohn's 35 (Jan 28, 2012)

:stinks:n Oh Yuck, I know they are good for you and I wished I like them but the smell even makes me gag... My husband eats them all the time but NOT in the house.  I will eat fish but once in a very blue moon. I tried but I can't.  

So Joanie when you come here in the summer you and the hubby can go out the back and eat a crap load lol. :shifty-t:


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## mnsun (Jan 29, 2012)

Canned/boney sardines are not particularly crunchy, at least not compared to canned salmon--the vertebrae crunch into a chalky, grainey consistancy.  I've really only tried Crown Prince for both canned sardines and salmon; they're pretty good and taste better than they smell.  I get the spring water packed ones.    

Post Fukushima I'm kinda hesitant of most any pacific foods.  Initially some plume models seemed to indicate a trend toward alaska, though I haven't seen any later readings...probably still better than the farmed/dyed salmon.
(not to mention tea, sushi, tuna, ?spirulina?....and, most likely contaminated, rice: http://ex-skf.blogspot.com/2012/01/two-ways-to-sell-contaminated-fukushima.html)(who knows what else: http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2012...n-levels-based-upon-politics-not-science.html)


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## Susan2 (Jan 30, 2012)

I can often get fresh sardines, which I just grill and eat with a squeeze of lemon juice. Delicious!

I  also can catch mullet in my local estuary - that's another good oily fish.


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## Lisa (Jan 30, 2012)

mmm....canned sardines in mustard...on saltine crackers.....wonder if I have any lurking in the cupboard?.....hmmm......


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## sawdust (Jan 30, 2012)

Can anyone recommend a non-slimy and non-"looking at me" way to try some sardines?


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## ekay03 (Jan 30, 2012)

Ok, I am going to try the Sardines!


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## Lisa (Jan 30, 2012)

sawdust said:


> Can anyone recommend a non-slimy and non-"looking at me" way to try some sardines?


Well - the canned ones I eat don't have heads - so no eyeballs (I couldn't face that myself!).....

Here is a site with recipies - http://www.sardinerecipes.com/ - 

And as a simple way to prepare (I think was mentioned here already) - mash up like tuna and eat as a 'spread'....that is kind of what I do....


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## Grant (Jan 30, 2012)

Sardines on toast-lovely. Either in tomato sauce, olive oil or sunflower oil, I love em.
Grant


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## GTR (Jan 30, 2012)

this is the type of sardines that I like with just a little lemon on them
*Sabor Do Mar *- Portuguese Sardines Spiced With Pickles In Vegetable Oil.
Also *Tricana* makes the same thing. here is a pic from it


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## scottsma (Jan 30, 2012)

sardines in tomato sauce mashed with a fork,on toast,back under grill to heat through,black pepper.very nice.and you can feel very smug 'cos it's so good for you and your heart.


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## Crohn's 35 (Jan 30, 2012)

I wished I could stomach them... my ex brother in law used to eat sardines and peanut butter sandwiches  eeeeeeeeeeew.  

David is there a pill form equal to the sardines?


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## KayleighMeek (Jan 30, 2012)

As many other people have said on toast with tomato lovely haven't had it in ages and now thinking if I have any in the cupboard yum x


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## Jobell (Feb 6, 2012)

Wow, I just looked over the wild planet website, and I so want to buy their fish! No BPA in the cans!!! sea salt for flavoring! Wild salmon, great sardines, low mercury... 
I am getting very disturbed by everything I read about additives and pollutants in our food supply, and my local fish store sells almost exclusively farmed Atlantic fish. this is refreshing to see.


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## sawdust (Feb 13, 2012)

Tried some sardines with lemon juice, tartar sauce, and black olives on toast this evening. I can't say it's my new favorite meal, but not too bad! It tasted much more like tuna than I thought it might. Not slimy and didn't look at me... not even once! :thumleft:


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## Traverse (Feb 13, 2012)

I love sardines, and I think they make for a wicked delicious tomato based pasta sauce, but I may have developed an allergy to them or something.  (Though it may be smoked sardines that I reacted to). 

Because of that, I don't eat them anymore due to the wicked canker sores I get.


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## Cat-a-Tonic (Feb 27, 2012)

I had read through this thread awhile back.  I've been trying to eat healthier.  I have been exercising regularly but my diet isn't always the greatest.  So when I was at the grocery store the other day and saw sardines packed in water for 69 cents a can (that's cheaper than tuna!) and remembered this thread, I couldn't resist - I bought 6 of them!  I'm eating can #1 right now (at my desk at work - are my co-workers going to hate me for the fishy smell and fish burps?).  I eat a fair amount of canned tuna so this'll save me a bit of money and hopefully make me a bit healthier.  Baby steps, right?  Has anyone else been eating sardines regularly since this thread started?  If so, have you noticed any difference?


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## David (Feb 27, 2012)

I've been eating them regularly (2-3 cans a week) and while I don't feel different, I ate healthy prior to this thread.

In addition to reducing your tuna intake and supplementing sardines instead, your mercury intake will decrease which is always a good thing.

And yes, your co-workers are going to hate you


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## wolfem (Mar 3, 2012)

Sardines...  love them.  I need to eat more.


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## scottsma (Mar 3, 2012)

me too,but unless they are staring me in the face,I forget.Like most other things that are good for me.Thats the trouble with cupboard doors.


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## lseibert (Mar 3, 2012)

Thanks for this post, I tried them and like them!!!


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## Beach (Mar 3, 2012)

Well, I never thought i would see this, but sardines now have a dedicated day!  I haven't tried them myself, but might have to give it a go - at least once.  Do sardines taste good with chocolate?  I'm not a big fish eater and will need something good to cover up the taste.         

"Sardines Sunday: It's time to try cold water fish"

http://hunter-gatherer.com/blog/sardines-sunday-its-time-try-cold-water-fish


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## scottsma (Mar 4, 2012)

I'm not a big fish eater either,but you gotta do what you gotta do.Go on,you know it makes sense.( I just bought some cream cheese with chocolate today.now I don't love cheese but I'm willing to make an exception)


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## Beach (Mar 4, 2012)

I didn't make it to the store this morning to pick up sardines.  A storm moved through the area early on, creating a good ruckus.  That's my excuse at least for today for not eating any!  So I might be a day late on sardine day, but plan on picking up some tomorrow morning though.  Did enjoy a slice of gouda cheese with lunch.  That seems to have become a regular addition to lunch anymore.


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## scottsma (Mar 5, 2012)

nothing wrong with a "bit of what you fancy".It's the little pleasures in life that keep you going.stock up on those sardines though.no excuses.


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## Beach (Mar 5, 2012)

As of a little past 7 this morning, sardines in olive oil bought, and put out for consumption.  Have a meeting at 3:00 this afternoon.  Figure I'll give them a try after that.  Went a little crazy and even picked up a can of clams.  I've never been much of a food experimenter with this grumpy gut, but sea food should be alright I figure.


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## scottsma (Mar 5, 2012)

thats good news,now if I can just practice what I preach.......... don't want to put a dampner on your achievement but I prefer them in tomato sauce,but olive oil is good for you too,very mediteranean.good eating.


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## Scifimom (Mar 5, 2012)

Hahaha you guys are weird, you prefer canned fish instead of fresh? Sardines are fishes for poor people in Greece. We usually eat them fresh (Thank you mediterranean weather). The best recipes are fried (you dip them in flour and then fry them in oil) or roasted in vine leaves (smear some oil on a big vine leaf, wrap it around the sardine and then roast it over coal fire or in the oven). Small fishes like sardines used to be a major part of Greek diet, they are also cheap and available food all year round. Hmmmm next weekend we are going to have fried fish for lunch yum.


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## David (Mar 5, 2012)

scottsma said:


> nothing wrong with a "bit of what you fancy".It's the little pleasures in life that keep you going.stock up on those sardines though.no excuses.


I respectfully disagree.  It's those little bits of what you fancy that can throw you off an otherwise fruitful diet and make it seem like it's not working.  For example, if you're trying to starve out a bacterial overgrowth and just have that one piece of chocolate a night, you're giving them just enough to survive.  It would be like someone with Celiac Disease just having a little bit of bread with gluten in it each day because that's what they fancy.



Scifimom said:


> Hahaha you guys are weird, you prefer canned fish instead of fresh? Sardines are fishes for poor people in Greece. We usually eat them fresh (Thank you mediterranean weather). The best recipes are fried (you dip them in flour and then fry them in oil) or roasted in vine leaves (smear some oil on a big vine leaf, wrap it around the sardine and then roast it over coal fire or in the oven). Small fishes like sardines used to be a major part of Greek diet, they are also cheap and available food all year round. Hmmmm next weekend we are going to have fried fish for lunch yum.


Sardines are very rarely found fresh here in the states.  They're not cheap either   I would prefer the fresh though having them in a can in the cupboard is very convenient.

Beach, after reading that article you linked I bought some kippers yesterday.  I hope they taste good


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## Beach (Mar 5, 2012)

Thanks everyone for the encouragement and advice.  Not meaning to make a drama out of me eating sardines!  I was planning to wait will after a meeting this afternoon to eat them, but figured what am I waiting for.  I live on an island, where fishing is popular, and sea food meals are commonly served.  Probably 3/4th of the people ate fish for lunch here, and will have fish burps later.  I might as well join in.   

My initial reaction to the taste was not enough olive oil, to much fish.  But overall not bad.  I think I can get used to this.  And it should be good and healthy.  I'll have to experiment and see if I can come up with a recipe to my liking.  I'll try the vine leaf with oil over the barbecue idea.    

That is one thing, I'm on an elimination diet and seem to be having success.  The gut is semi well at the moment.  Figure another month or two of eating this way and I might turn out to have a functioning digestive system.  That is always the problem for me though, making an elimination diet to small.  I end up straying from the diet after a few weeks, loosing patience with it, and then become ill again.  Sea food is rarely something I eat, and of the few times I have been well to the gut recall that salmon and tuna are safe foods for me.  I don't plan going back to eating tuna due to it's high mercury content.  That is one mineral I'm not looking to consume more of.  But salmon should be a nice addition to the elimination diet, and now I can say the same about sardines also.


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## CLynn (Mar 5, 2012)

My dad always ate them, I thought them gross in my teen years. But when I head to the store, I will grab some, in tomato, mustard and olive oil to see which I can stomach the best. Sheesh, I hope the little heads are removed....lol!


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## scottsma (Mar 5, 2012)

David said:


> I respectfully disagree.  It's those little bits of what you fancy that can throw you off an otherwise fruitful diet and make it seem like it's not working.  For example, if you're trying to starve out a bacterial overgrowth and just have that one piece of chocolate a night, you're giving them just enough to survive.  It would be like someone with Celiac Disease just having a little bit of bread with gluten in it each day because that's what they fancy.
> 
> 
> Sardines are very rarely found fresh here in the states.  They're not cheap either   I would prefer the fresh though having them in a can in the cupboard is very convenient.
> ...


I am thoroughly chastised,my apologies for encouraging bad habits


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## David (Mar 5, 2012)

scottsma said:


> I am thoroughly chastised,my apologies for encouraging bad habits


No no no, I wasn't chastising you, just disagreeing.    It doesn't mean I'm right, it's just my opinion based upon the research and anecdotes I've read.

*hugs*


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## Cat-a-Tonic (Mar 5, 2012)

I'm upset with myself because I was at the grocery store this weekend and forgot to get more sardines!    I need to stockpile more.  I ate 3 cans of sardines (packed in water) last week and they were yummy!  They really fill me up too, one can as my mid-morning snack definitely fills me up until lunchtime.  I have two cans left which should at least get me through until I can get to the store again.  Oh, and I tried a can of sardines in tomato sauce too but was disappointed.  It was probably just the brand I bought, but it was way more tomato sauce than sardines.

Scifimom, I am so jealous!  Wish I lived near an ocean and could get fresh fish so easily.  I live smack dab in the middle/northern part of the US though so no luck there.  There is a good seafood market here in my city where they get fish flown in from the coasts daily so most of the fish there is less than a day old, but I'm sure it's so much better being able to get truly fresh local fish.  And, for what it's worth, I think sardines are kind of for poor people here too (we certainly didn't have much money when I was growing up, and I remember as a child I would often have a can of sardines for a meal).  I'm fairly poor now too so I may as well eat the sardines!


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## CLynn (Mar 5, 2012)

You must not be all the far from me, Cat, am pretty much right smack in the middle of the U.S. here....


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## Cat-a-Tonic (Mar 5, 2012)

CLynn, I'm in southern Wisconsin, so upper midwest/great lakes area.  I am not very far from Lake Michigan, like an hour and a half drive, but I don't know if there's any worthwhile fish to be had from there (trout maybe?  I have been fishing approximately twice in my life, the first time I caught a stick and the second time my father-in-law caught a couple fish on my pole but I don't remember what they were).  At any rate I don't think I've ever seen fresh sardines around here.


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## CLynn (Mar 5, 2012)

Upper middle in Missouri here. Have been to Wisconsin, and saw Lake Michigan, but that was years ago when I was in college. LOL! I have been fishing since I could walk, with Grandpa and my husband.


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## sawdust (Mar 5, 2012)

Do you think they use nets? I don't know how you'd hook such a small can with a line and hook. 

Seriously though, I'm enjoying sardines so far. I've had oil and mustard. Yum.


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## Cat-a-Tonic (Mar 5, 2012)

Ha ha Sawdust!  I also just noticed your "Senior Moment" title, too funny!

I haven't tried mustard yet.  I tried sardines in oil, which was a bit too oily for me.  It's an oily fish anyway and doesn't seem like it needs any extra oil!  I tried sardines in water and those are yummy and still fairly oily.  And I tried the sardines in tomato sauce which I didn't care for as it was too much sauce and not enough sardines.  Perhaps on my next grocery run I'll look for sardines in mustard.  Do sardines come packed in things besides water, oil, tomato sauce and mustard?


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## Scifimom (Mar 6, 2012)

For Beach,

Here is a simple recipe for sardines in Vine leaves in the oven

About two pounds (1 kilo) fresh sardines cleaned throughly, and decapitated (hahaha)
100grams of fresh vine leaves or canned in water (if you use canned they must be drained)
4 table spoons extra virgin olive oil
Juice from one lemon
Two lemons sliced (skin and all)
Salt, pepper oregano (skip pepper if you cannot tolerate)

Beat lemon and oil, season the sardines in a bowl and pour the lemon mix over them and blend them together.
Cover the bottom of a pan with vine leaves. cover the leaves with sardines, add some oregano and a few lemon slices. Continue with leaves and sardines until finished (you must finish with leaves covering the sardines).

Bake in pre-heated oven in 200C (sorry dont know the F analogy) for 30-40 mins.

The vine leaves have veins which may cause some crohns trouble, but generally after baking you can eat the most part without problems, if something feels weird just spit it.


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## Beach (Mar 7, 2012)

Thanks Scifimom!

I think that is recipe that I should be able to handle well.  Nice and basic, looks like it would be delicious too.  I'll give it a try in the future, and write a review.


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## Susan2 (Mar 7, 2012)

I can usually get fresh sardines in Geelong (the closest town to me), although the best sardines in Australia, in my opinion, come from Fremantle in Western Australia. I usually just grill them with a squeeze of lemon, but I will certainly try your vine leaf recipe, Scifimom. :thumright:

I also like another poor man's fish, mullet, which is oily, too, and is best grilled whole on the BBQ. You don't often see them for sale, but I can catch them in an estuary near me.


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## Cat-a-Tonic (Mar 7, 2012)

I've decided today that I'm on a mission to get my husband to eat more sardines.  He had kidney stones last year, and they were apparently due to him not getting enough calcium.  I was reading the nutritional info on the label of my sardines today, and it said that the little can containing 2 sardines contains 45% of the daily recommended calcium intake.  Holy cow!  Hubby has been taste-testing the various sardines with me, and I love them simply packed in water with nothing added, but hubby finds those so boring.  He liked the ones in tomato sauce though so I will be purchasing those again (I will try a different brand though as the ones I had bought in tomato sauce were short on fish and heavy on sauce) and I will definitely try the mustard ones too.


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## David (Mar 7, 2012)

Cat, if he's low in calcium you may want to get his vitamin D checked (if you haven't) as vitamin D is absolutely vital for calcium metabolism.  Sardines have lots of vitamin D but not enough if he's seriously deficient.


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## Cat-a-Tonic (Mar 7, 2012)

Thanks David.  Hubby is due for his yearly physical soon so I'll make sure the doctor checks his vit D and calcium levels (we have the same GP so I can talk to the doctor about hubby).  Unfortunately my hubby hates taking pills, even supplements.  After we found out his kidney stones were being caused by low calcium, I bought him some calcium chewables in his favorite flavor, vanilla.  I take the chocolate ones and I take them every day without fail (even without IBD, being a thin white woman automatically puts me at higher risk for osteoperosis so I know I need my calcium!).  I've been through 2 bags of chocolate calcium chews and hubby's only about halfway through his bag - which means he's only taking them sporadically.  So I doubt I could get him to take vit D daily.  I remind him sometimes of the horrible pain he had with his kidney stones - it was so bad at times that he would literally vomit from pain - but even that doesn't light a fire under his butt to take the calcium more often.  I don't want to be a nag so I guess if he gets kidney stones again that's his problem!  The good news is that spring weather just arrived here so we'll be outdoors more often and will hopefully soak up lots of vit D from the sun.  And back to the original topic, I will make sure he has plenty of sardines in tomato sauce on hand.


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## Zac with no K (Mar 7, 2012)

I actually went out and bought a can of sardines after reading this post about a month ago.

I really have not had much seafood at all through-out my life and never liked it. I know sea food is supposed to be good for people with crohn's so I know I should start trying it..

But it's still wrapped up in the store bag in my room as I'm afraid to even try them! ha


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## David (Mar 9, 2012)

Hey Beach, I got around to eating that can of Kippers (herring) I bought after reading the article you linked to.  They're DELICIOUS.  I like them much more than sardines.  Too bad they're not quite as healthy as sardines but they ARE healthy, so I'll definitely be mixing them in.  Thank you!


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## scottsma (Mar 10, 2012)

cooked tomatos and tomato sauces contain lycopene which is a powerful antioxydant.It also lowers cholesterol and helps in the prevention of many cancers.google it.those of you who are not keen on sardines in tomato sauce may change your mind when you know the benefits.enjoy.


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## Beach (Mar 10, 2012)

David said:


> Hey Beach, I got around to eating that can of Kippers (herring) I bought after reading the article you linked to.  They're DELICIOUS.  I like them much more than sardines.  Too bad they're not quite as healthy as sardines but they ARE healthy, so I'll definitely be mixing them in.  Thank you!


Oww, thanks David, I'll have to give the Kippers a try myself!  Maybe I'll enjoy the taste of them.  I've been eating more and more fish over the last few weeks.  It is definitely easier on my gut.  I even had a sardine this morning after working out at the gym.  Never thought I would do that!


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## wolfem (Mar 12, 2012)

I'm eating more sardines now.  They REALLY calm down the pain from gastritis.


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## CLynn (Mar 12, 2012)

Oh my gosh, do they really, Wolf? I swear, the gastritis pains come after each meal for me lately....I really need to get some!


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## wolfem (Mar 13, 2012)

CLynn said:


> Oh my gosh, do they really, Wolf? I swear, the gastritis pains come after each meal for me lately....I really need to get some!


Ugh.  Six hours after I take ranitidine, the burning pain comes back.  My throat feels like it has rocks in it.  I think acid has been coming up when I sleep at night.  Anyhow, for some reason the sardines do help.  I buy wild planet sardines in olive oil (the best ones I've ever had)


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## Vantage26 (Jul 4, 2012)

Smoked sardines in olive oil are the greatest. The extra oil in the can seems to help me a lot too.


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