Can Cookies Beat Bad Diarrhea?

Q. I read your column on the effect that coconut macaroons might have on Crohn’s disease. Having suffered with this dread disease for years, I bought four boxes of Archway cookies. Much to my shock, there has been dramatic improvement in my diarrhea in less than a week.
I am on prednisone, which has horrible side effects. My gastroenterologist pooh-poohed this new remedy, but the macaroons have given me far more relief than any medication I have taken.
It is still too early to tell if this improvement is a temporary blip on the radar screen, but it is the first optimism that I have had in years! Thank you so much.
A. The Archway Coconut Macaroon story is fascinating. Over a decade ago we heard from a reader who claimed that two cookies a day relieved his chronic diarrhea.
Others have tried it with mixed results. One woman said, “I ate the coconut cookies, but no luck.” Another stated that they worked for awhile, but then the diarrhea returned. On the other hand, many other people do report that coconut flakes appear to help control their diarrhea.
Crohn’s disease is complicated and hard to treat. We would be surprised if something as simple as coconut cookies worked for everyone. Then again, if they work for you this appears to be a low-cost and safe approach for a very difficult condition. Good luck.