Occasionally I get an email from a reader with extreme sensitivities, allergies, or intolerances who wants to know HOW to customize an Elemental shake for colon rest.
For example this one:
“Is there a way to make a gluten free version of Absorb Plus? I seem to have severe neurological side effects from carob, tapioca and vanilla… The flavors I seem to be okay with are mango, blackberry and apple. I also have MCAD and histamine intolerance. I know you can’t change everything for everyone, that would be ridiculous. I just hope there is a solution. Thank you for your time. (I can’t tolerate either Banana.) or I would have tried the DIY elementary on the blog. Thank you for all the resources you provided. All the best!
Okay, so first off: the “DIY Elemental” banana shake she’s referring to is not elementary. It is a very well-tolerated shake that makes digestion/absorption in the intestines much easier (the recipe and others can be found here), but it is not completely pre-digested. Here again are the ONLY parameters of an Elemental shake – according to the clinical studies that have proven the effectiveness of Elemental diets in inducing remission in Crohn’s disease:
protein only as free amino acids and/or dipeptide binding proteins
Fats B. MCT, cold pressed flax, Udo’s, coconut etc. (but MUST be cold pressed)
Carbohydrates Only as monosaccharide sugar (glucose, natural fructose, dextrose). The only exception to this rule is maltodextrin (a glucose polymer).
As you can see, you can NOT add normal/regular foods to your shakes and still classify them as “elemental” or polymeric.
What you can do is buy an unflavored whey isolate (it has to be an isolate, not a whey concentrate) or an unflavored rice protein isolate and mix that with whatever maltodextrin you can tolerate. Tapioca maltodextrin is a good option, but you can also use corn maltodextrin. However, it is very difficult to find non-GMO corn maltodextrin in North America – and corn is a common allergen. If you ordered from a European supplier, you’ll probably find an organic, non-GMO version there.
Rice maltodextrin is another option and is likely to be well tolerated. If you search for “buy rice maltodextrin” online, you will be directed to suppliers in your area, such as: B. this one.
Once you have your protein and maltodextrin, you can use these instructions to mix your shakes in the right proportions. Of course, you can always use less maltodextrin if you are not malnourished and do not need healthy weight gain.
If you would like to add flavors to your homemade Elemental shakes, then use these organic flavor concentrates from Nature’s Flavors – they are compatible with an Elemental diet and instructions on how to use/mix the flavors in your shakes can be found here.
And if you’d like to know what other supplements we add to the shakes during the IBD remission diet, check out the week-long supply kit we carry (original and vegan versions of Absorb Plus available).
I hope this helps, and if you have any questions just leave them below!
Last updated November 2020.
Jini Patel Thompson is an internationally recognized expert in natural healing for digestive diseases. She healed herself from widespread Crohn’s disease and has been medication and surgery free for over 25 years. Jini has appeared on numerous podcasts, TV and radio shows in the US, UK, Canada and Australia, giving people hope and vision on how to heal their colitis, Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) using all-natural methods. Her books on natural healing of digestive diseases have been sold in over 80 countries worldwide. Jini is married and has three children, nine sheep, 11 horses, a cat and three dogs.
