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Tasty&Healthy Whole-Food Diet in Asymptomatic Children and Young Adults With Biologically Active Crohn’s Disease: The TASTI-E Randomized Controlled Trial

  • Luba Plotkin
  • , Yonat Aharoni-Frutkoff
  • , Daniel Pollak
  • , Asaf Azulay
  • , Zivia Shavit
  • , Gili Focht
  • , Jessica Livovsky
  • , Raffi Lev-Tzion
  • , Benjamin Koslowsky
  • , Rotem Sigall Boneh
  • , Batia Weiss
  • , Mordechai Slae
  • , Iris Dotan
  • , Lihi Godny
  • , Jarosław Kierkuś
  • , Małgorzata Garwolińska
  • , Efrat Broide
  • , Galit Moshe
  • , Anne M. Griffiths
  • , Claudia Tersigni
  • Timna Naftali, Lee Abramas, Giulia D’arcangelo, Anat Yerushalmy-Feler, Tobias Schwerd, Eileen Crowley, Eytan Wine, Moran Yassour, Ram Reifen, Dan Turner*
*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Background & Aims Tasty&Healthy is an exclusive whole food diet designed to reduce inflammation in Crohn’s disease without the need for formula. This TASTI-E randomized-controlled trial compared the effect of Tasty&Healthy versus habitual diet on subclinical inflammation in Crohn’s disease. Methods Clinically quiescent patients with Crohn’s disease, 6 to 40 years of age, with Mucosal Inflammation Noninvasive Index >8 reflecting bowel inflammation, were randomized to an 8-week Tasty&Healthy intervention or to continue their regular diet. Thereafter, the habitual group was offered an 8-week open-label Tasty&Healthy intervention. The primary outcome was >50% decline in calprotectin. The study was terminated early due to COVID-19–related challenges. Results Of the 46 randomized patients (mean age, 18.2 ± 7.6 years; median disease duration, 9.01 months [interquartile range, 2.9–17.1 months]), 19 were allocated to Tasty&Healthy and 27 to habitual diet. Calprotectin response was greater in the Tasty&Healthy (53%) versus habitual arm (7%; relative risk, 3.23; 95% confidence interval, 1.15–9.01; P = .028). Among 15 patients who crossed over to Tasty&Healthy, the rates of calprotectin <250 μg/g (53% vs 7%, respectively; P = .045) and Mucosal Inflammation Noninvasive Index <8 (93% versus 20%; P = .002) were higher at week 16 versus week 8. Adherence to Tasty&Healthy was 77% based on self-reported questionnaires and 71% by fecal gluten. Micronutrient and macronutrient consumption was similar between the groups, except for higher fiber intake with Tasty&Healthy. The Tasty&Healthy intervention resulted in a unique serum metabolic signature. Conclusions The Tasty&Healthy diet may reduce calprotectin levels in patients with Crohn’s disease with subclinical inflammation. Its flexible structure, free of formula, likely explains the high adherence among asymptomatic individuals. ClinicalTrials.gov , Number: NCT04239248 .

Original languageEnglish
JournalClinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology
DOIs
StateAccepted/In press - 2026

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2026 American Gastroenterological Association Institute.

Keywords

  • Calprotectin Reduction
  • Crohn’s Disease
  • Induction of Remission
  • Microbiome
  • Nutritional Therapy
  • Tasty&Healthy Diet

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