A nurse is teaching a client with pancreatitis about following a low-fat diet. The nurse develops a list of high-fat foods to avoid and includes which food on item list?

Correct Answer: A. Chocolate milk

Chocolate milk is a high-fat food. The pancreas helps with fat digestion, so foods with more fat make the pancreas work harder. Registered dietitian Deborah Gerszberg recommends that people with chronic pancreatitis limit their intake of refined carbohydrates, such as white bread and high sugar foods. Refined carbohydrates can lead to the pancreas releasing large amounts of insulin. Foods that are high in sugar can also raise triglycerides.

• Option B: Vegetables are low in fat because they do not come from animal sources. Vegetables, beans, lentils, and whole grains are beneficial because of their fiber content. Eating more fiber can lower the chances of having gallstones or elevated levels of fats in the blood called triglycerides. Both of those conditions are common causes of acute pancreatitis.
• Option C: Fruits are low in fat because they do not come from animal sources. Fruits are recommended for people with pancreatitis because they tend to be naturally low in fat, which eases the amount of work the pancreas needs to do to aid digestion.
• Option D: Salmon is naturally lower in fat. Many types of fish, such as salmon, lake trout, tuna, and herring, provide healthy omega-3 fat. But avoid fish canned in oil, such as sardines in olive oil. Bake, broil, or grill meats, poultry, or fish instead of frying them in butter or fat.