showed that the Tasty&Healthy diet can help induce remission in children and young adults with mild-to-moderate Crohn’s disease, similar to Exclusive Enteral Nutrition (EEN), a treatment that uses only liquid formulas and considered as the most effective nutritional intervention in Crohn’s disease. It is also the least easy for patients and most do not tolerate the intervention. The study included 83 patients aged 6 to 25, who were randomized to either the Tasty&Healthy diet or EEN for 8 weeks, along with weekly support.

The results showed that 88% of participants tolerated the Tasty&Healthy diet, compared to only 52% for EEN. Importantly, Tasty&Healthy was as effective as EEN in achieving clinical remission, with 56% of participants who started Tasty&Healthy group showing complete resolution of symptoms (67% of those completing the intervention), compared to 38% in the EEN group (76% of those completing the intervention). One third of patients treated with the diet also normalized the inflammation in the bowel without any other medical treatment, and this rate was also similar to EEN. Finally, the Tasty&Healthy diet led to a more diverse and healthier overall microbiome composition in the stool. Overall, this trial showed that Tasty&Healthy is as effective as EEN for inducing clinical and inflammatory remission, but better tolerated and with a more diverse microbiome. It offers flexible alternative for managing Crohn’s disease without the need for special liquid formulas or mandatory ingredients.

Inflammation markers improved: Both the WPCDAI (a measure of Crohn’s disease activity) and MINI
(a marker of intestinal healing) scores decreased significantly in both groups.

Calprotectin levels decreased: This key marker of gut inflammation significantly decreased in both groups.

By the end of the study, there was no significant difference between the two groups—those following
the Tasty&Healthy diet (TH) and those on the standard EEN (Exclusive Enteral Nutrition).

The graph shows results in reducing inflammation in both treatment groups.

investigated the effects of the Tasty&Healthy diet on reducing inflammation in children and young adults with Crohn’s disease who were in clinical remission but still had underlying bowel inflammation. Patients aged 6 to 40 years who had minimal symptoms but evidence of ongoing inflammation were randomly assigned to either the Tasty&Healthy diet or to continue their usual (i.e. habitual) diet for 8 weeks. The primary goal was to see if Tasty&Healthy could reduce fecal calprotectin (a marker of inflammation in the stool) by more than 50%. The results showed that 37% of those on the Tasty&Healthy diet experienced a significant reduction in calprotectin, compared to only 15% in the habitual diet group. Adherence to the diet was high, with 85% of patients in the Tasty&Healthy group completing the 8-week intervention. Seven of 15 patients who completed 8 weeks
of habitual diet and crossed-over to Tasty&Healthy, reduced their calprotectin value that measures bowel inflammation to below 250 mcg/g, and eight had measures indicating healing of the intestinal inflammation (MINI index <8 points). Other markers of inflammation such as C-reactive protein in the serum also improved significantly only in the Tasty&Healthy group. Patients in the Tasty&Healthy arm met over 95% of the required daily key macro- and micronutrients and those on Tasty&Healthy consumed more fiber than the controls which is a positive finding as fiber contributes to reduced inflammation. The study concluded that Tasty&Healthy is effective in reducing inflammation in patients with Crohn’s disease who have no symptoms but still significant bowel inflammation. Tasty&Healthy offers a flexible, easy-to-follow approach without the need for special formula feeds or mandatory ingredients, that can be added to medical interventions if not fully controlling the inflammation.

Explored the ability to personalize the Tasty&Healthy diet when used over time
to maintain remission in children and adults with Crohn’s disease, Participants,
aged 4 to 37, who had achieved complete remission with the Tasty&Healthy diet
in two previous studies (TASTI-MM and TASTI-E), were enrolled in this 16-week
open-label trial.
The trial reintroduced once a month gluten and dairy one food at a time, with testing of calprotectin in the stool a month later to monitor the degree of intestinal inflammation. If calprotectin increased by more than 30%, the food was re-excluded. By the end of the study, of the 43 participants, 75% had normal calprotectin levels and C-reactive protein (which is a measure of inflammation in the blood), 79% had evidence of no inflammation in the bowel despite no new medical therapy (as reflected by MINI index <8 points), and 86% maintained clinical remission without
any symptoms. Most participants (55%) managed to reintroduce gluten and dairy without increasing inflammation. When inflammation occurred after reintroducing either food, it was easily managed by re-excluding them (in >90% the inflammation subsided. The study found that 61% of patients who had previously achieved remission with the whole-food Tasty&Healthy diet maintained deep remission (symptoms and inflammation) using Tasty&Healthy (see graph below). The diet
can be adapted and become more flexible based on monthly testing of calprotectin
in the stool.

The graph shows the fecal calprotectin levels, CRP levels, and MINI scores of patients who followed the Tasty&HealthyT diet for 8 weeks as part of the TASTI-MM  and the “TASTI-E”  studies. These patients then continued the diet for an additional 16 weeks in the “MyTasty” study.

At the end of 16 weeks:

• All patients achieved normal CRP levels (below 0.5 mg/dL), indicating
  reduced inflammation.
• 70% of patients had fecal calprotectin levels below 250 µg/g, suggesting mild
  or minimal inflammation.
• 82% of patients had a MINI (Mucosal-Inflammation Non-Invasively) score under 8, a sign of mucosal healing.

Participants in the Tasty & Healthy study underwent intestinal ultrasound (IUS) at baseline, week 8, and week 24. Patients who continued in the follow-up “MyTasty” study and remained on the diet for more than 24 weeks gradually reintroduced gluten and dairy. In addition, video capsule endoscopy (VCE) was performed at week 24.

Key Findings from Imaging Tests:

Intestinal ultrasound demonstrated a gradual improvement in intestinal inflammation over time.
All ultrasound parameters improved from baseline to weeks 8 and 24. Specifically:

• Terminal ileum scores (IBUS-SAS) improved from a median of 43 [IQR 0–64.8] at baseline, to 14 [0–47.5] at week 8, and 5 [0–31] at week 24 (p=0.0069).
• Maximal bowel scores improved from 44.9 [2.1–64.9] at baseline, to 14 [0–48.5] at week 8, and 13.6 [0–34.6] at week 24 (p=0.0068).
• Among 29 patients with paired ultrasound assessments at baseline and week 24:
• 86% showed improvement or normalization of the ileal IBUS-SAS score.
• 83% (24/29) demonstrated improvement in both the maximal and total bowel inflammation scores.
• Of the 23 patients who underwent video capsule endoscopy or ileocolonoscopy at week 24, 14 (61%) showed signs of intestinal healing, either with a Lewis score below 270 or with only minor lesions (aphthous ulcers).

During the study, blood and stool samples from children with Crohn’s disease were analyzed before and after 8 weeks on the diet. Over 600 metabolites were examined in samples from 129 children to better understand how the diet impacts the body and gut.

Key Findings:

• The Tasty & Healthy (T&H) diet increased levels of beneficial compounds in both blood and stool, such as polyunsaturated fatty acids, butyrate, serotonin, and dopamine.
• These metabolic changes were different from those seen with exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) or a regular diet, and were linked to better gut barrier function and healthier microbial activity.
• Children who responded to the T&H diet showed a unique, healthier metabolic profile, supporting the diet’s role as a therapeutic approach in Crohn’s disease.

In conclusion, the T&H diet not only helps control symptoms but also promotes a healthier internal environment, potentially supporting long-term gut health and sustained remission in Crohn’s disease.