Ulcerative colitis affects individuals differently, and the foods each person finds tolerable can vary. Still, there are some general guidelines to follow when deciding what you may want to include in your diet and what you’re better off avoiding.
What to Eat
Consider including the following foods in your diet.
“I would highly recommend cooking, steaming, or boiling these foods whenever possible, just to make the texture a bit easier on the already inflamed intestinal lining,” Deal says. While fiber is essential for a healthy digestive system, too much can cause problems, especially for people with UC.
Lean Proteins Healthy, lean proteins, including chicken, fish, eggs, legumes, nuts, soy, and tofu provide energy and nutritional support whether you have UC or not. But these foods can have additional benefits if you’re living with IBD.
Note that for some of these foods, you may need to change the texture to make them easier to digest. “For example, consider eating peanut butter instead of whole peanuts or having hummus instead of whole chickpeas,” suggests David Gardinier, RD, a registered dietitian with the Cleveland Clinic Center for Human Nutrition.
But whole grains can be difficult for some people with UC to digest during or right after a flare. For these individuals, Gardinier says refined grains like white rice or non-grain carbohydrates such as sweet potatoes or regular potatoes are better choices at these times.
“Oats and buckwheat are both whole grains that may be tolerated better by UC patients in a flare up,” he notes. “For bread, I usually recommend a sourdough since it is not too fiber heavy while also having a low glycemic index.”
What to Limit or Avoid
Certain foods may trigger or worsen UC symptoms. Here’s a list of foods you may want to limit or avoid.
Spicy Foods When your UC symptoms are flaring, it may be best to avoid spicy foods. “These don’t necessarily cause damage to the lining of the colon but when the colon is already irritated, it’s like adding salt or acid to a scratch on your skin — it hurts,” explains Adeeti Chiplunker, MD, a gastroenterologist who specializes in inflammatory bowel disease at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus.
Foods High in Simple Sugars Candy, cakes, cookies, soda, and juices can irritate the gut and exacerbate UC symptoms, Dr. Chiplunker says. “If these are not fully digested and absorbed by the bowel or your intake simply overwhelms your normal absorption system, these unabsorbed sugars act like a laxative,” she notes. Most of these foods are also ultra-processed.
High Lactose Foods Some people with IBD are lactose intolerant, meaning their body does not properly digest lactose, the sugar found in dairy products like cow’s milk, cheese, and ice cream. Others may have issues digesting these foods during a UC flare. Both can lead to uncomfortable symptoms like abdominal cramping, gas, and diarrhea.