Phase 2. Avocado is on my list, and it’s the food people most often expect me to call Phase 1 because of the “healthy fat” label.
Healthy fat is still fat. My pancreas has to process it like any other.
The fat math
Half an avocado (about 70 g of flesh): about 10 g of fat. A whole medium one: about 21 g. That’s a complete strict day (20 to 30 g a day while I’m strict, 40 to 50 g once things have settled) in a single fruit.
A thick layer of guacamole on 2 tortilla chips’ worth of dip: easily 15 g once the chips are counted. Lime juice and cilantro in it are Phase 1 for me; the raw onion in most recipes is “careful, very small amounts” on my sheet, and the chilli is a never.
Which phase
Phase 2. In Phase 1 I didn’t eat it at all, and I don’t regret the wait.
Other people tolerate it sooner. Try a quarter, see what your gut says over 2 days, and check with your team.
How I actually eat it
A quarter of an avocado, mashed on sourdough with lemon juice and a pinch of salt. About 5 g of fat, and it replaces the olive oil I’d otherwise have on a salad that day.
I never eat a whole one. Half is a treat day. A quarter is a normal day.
Questions people ask me
Isn’t avocado a healthy fat for pancreatitis?
It’s unsaturated, which is better for the heart, but the pancreas still has to digest every gram. Half an avocado is about 10 g of fat, so it’s Phase 2 for me and portioned.
Can I eat avocado in Phase 1 of pancreatitis?
I didn’t. A quarter of an avocado is about 5 g of fat, a sixth to a quarter of a strict day. I waited for Phase 2 and started with a quarter.
Can I eat guacamole with pancreatitis?
A real serving with chips is easily 15 g of fat. The chilli in most recipes is on my never list and raw onion is a careful item. I mash a quarter avocado with lemon and salt instead.
Read on
The full phase lists and the fat budget are in the book. For a plate that uses this: the steamed cod with lemon and dill. More answers like this one: all food questions.
Not medical advice. This page reflects one patient’s low-fat approach grounded in published guidance. Fat tolerance is individual. Check with your own healthcare team before changing your diet.