Food List, Meal Plan, and More -

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.

Low-Fiber Fruits and Vegetables Applesauce, bananas, melon, squash, potatoes, and spinach are all fantastic fiber options for people with ulcerative colitis, says Miranda Deal, RDN, a registered dietitian with the University of Michigan Health-West in Wyoming, Michigan. Research has found that UC patients who regularly consume fruits and vegetables have a lower prevalence of active disease than those who do not.

“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.

Foods High in Omega-3 Fatty Acids Oily fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, herring, and sardines, have been shown to help fight inflammation.

“You can also obtain this fat from vegetarian sources such as flaxseed, chia seed, walnuts, soybeans, and edamame,” Deal says.

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.

“Protein is essential for inflammatory bowel disease as the amino acids from this macronutrient can help repair damaged tissue and alleviate inflammation,” Deal says.

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.

The Right Carbs Whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, and barley are more nutritious options than refined grains, and registered dietitians recommend them to people whose UC is in remission. This is because the refining process strips away many of the grains’ natural vitamins and nutrient content.

Whole grains also have a low glycemic index, so they won’t raise blood sugar levels as quickly as refined grains.

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.

Foods High in Insoluble Fiber Sometimes known as “roughage,” insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water and therefore can be difficult to digest. This can worsen UC symptoms like bloating, gas, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.

Examples of foods high in insoluble fiber include nuts, popcorn, raw carrots, raw cauliflower or broccoli, and fruits or vegetables with thick skin, Deal says. But removing the skin and cooking produce should make fruits and vegetables gentler on the digestive tract.

Red and Processed Meats Processed meats like salami, ham, sausage, hot dogs, bacon, and lunch meat are proinflammatory to the colon because of the high sulfur content and heme iron, says Gardinier. “Processed meat is also linked with colon cancer, which people who have UC are already at high risk for,” he notes.

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.

Your doctor can perform tests to help you figure out if you are lactose intolerant and need to avoid dairy altogether or simply need to limit your intake during flares.

High-Fat Foods Fried foods, as well as butter, cream, and margarine can lead to gas and diarrhea and the effect can be worse in people with gut inflammation.

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