Ulcerative Colitis (UC) is an Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) that is characterized by chronic inflammation in the colon and rectum. UC’s sister IBD is Crohn’s, and the two diseases are quite similar. Unlike Crohn’s, however, patients with UC develop ulcers inside the colon - this can be quite uncomfortable and painful for patients, especially when trigger foods are not avoided. In this article, we’ll briefly cover the symptoms of UC, then dive into Ulcerative Colitis foods to avoid, Colitis foods to eat, and give you some notes on how to create an Ulcerative Colitis diet plan.
Recognizing the Symptoms of UC
The symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis are debilitating and interfere with a patient’s everyday life during flare-ups. Let’s take a look at the following symptoms before we discuss some ways to minimize the amount of pain and discomfort that a patient experiences.
Unexplainable weight loss
Nausea and/or vomiting
Pus or blood in the stool
Bleeding from the rectum
Diarrhea and fatigue
Mild to severe abdominal pain
Ulcerative Colitis Foods to Avoid
In general, it’s best to avoid foods that are low in fiber, as a protective measure. However, if you are experiencing a flare-up, you’ll want to eat low-fiber foods - this will help your colon recover more quickly from a UC attack. Once you are feeling better, returning to those high-fiber foods will be better for your gut microbiome. The following list of foods will be foods that you should avoid to help minimize your symptoms during a flare-up. Remember to reintroduce high-fiber foods slowly once your symptoms have resolved. Here are some Ulcerative Colitis foods to avoid during a flare-up:
Whole-Grain Foods
Whole-grain foods like whole-wheat bread, brown rice, long-grain rice, wheat crackers, quinoa, oats, spelt, and un-pearled barley all contain the high-fiber germ and endosperm of the grain. Avoid these foods when you are experiencing a flare-up.
Seeds & Nuts
Again, whole seeds and nuts are high in fiber (although they are very healthy). Avoid things like pumpkin seeds, almonds, flax seeds, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews, peanuts, and more. If you want the health benefits of these nuts and seeds without the irritating fiber, reach for smooth nut and seed butter instead, or a cold-pressed oil like flax.
High-Fiber Fruits and Vegetables
Generally speaking, you’ll want to avoid raw fruits and vegetables because they are much higher in fiber. There are some cooked vegetables that are high in fiber, too, however. You’ll also want to avoid things like cooked kale, cooked lima beans, cooked acorn squash, cooked peas, cooked artichokes, cooked collard greens, cooked butternut squash, and more. If you want to add any of these vegetables to your diet, make sure to puree them into a soup or sauce.
Legumes
Just like high-fiber vegetables, even cooked beans and peas are high in fiber that will make it more difficult for your inflamed bowels to heal. Try to avoid these foods when you are having a flare-up.
Caffeine, Carbonated Beverages, Alcohol
Beverages that speed up the rate of digestion like coffee and caffeinated teas should be avoided. Carbonated beverages may also irritate your bowels further, so these are best avoided as well. Furthermore, alcohol is a known stomach and bowel irritant, so save the alcoholic beverages for when you are feeling better, as well.
Dairy & Gluten
Some UC patients find that eliminating dairy and gluten from their diet reduces their symptoms extremely well. Cutting these items out during UC flare-ups is an easy way to reduce inflammation and let your bowels heal.
Ulcerative Colitis Foods to Eat
When you’re in the middle of a flare-up, you want to keep your diet simple and low in fiber. Try to stick to the following foods until your symptoms begin to resolve:
Refined Grains and Starches
This category includes foods like white pasta, white rice, and white bread. You may also find that some more interesting foods like rice pilaf, couscous, crackers, and wraps can make eating during a flare-up more enjoyable.
Canned or Cooked, Seedless, Skinless Vegetables and Fruits
As mentioned above, it’s important to avoid high-fiber fruits and vegetables during a flare-up. However, it’s still important to give your body the nutrients it needs. For this reason, you’ll want to make sure that you eat plenty of cooked or steamed fruits without skins or seeds. You can also safely eat pureed soups and sauces made from vegetables.
Nut Butters and Oils
We touched on this above, but you’ll want to make sure that any nuts or seeds you consume are pureed into butter or are pressed into oils. Oils are a healthy way to get good fats without irritating your bowels.
Tender Meats
Protein is still important, even in the middle of a flare-up. Reach for tender meats, like chicken tenders and fish while you are feeling ill.
lcerative Colitis Diet Plan
Following an Ulcerative Colitis diet plan is a bit more complicated than something like an IBS plan. The ideal diet for UC patients will vary depending on their symptom severity. For example, during flare-ups, you’ll want to be gentle on your intestines, eating low-fiber foods. However, when you aren’t having flare-ups, it’s healthier and more protective to feed your gut bacteria the fiber it needs.
There is a delicate balance that UC patients need to maintain, and it’s often a fine line with much back-and-forth from week to week. Your best option is to keep a food journal and log all of your symptoms each day. This way, you can find what works best for you. If you have any questions about how to create a food journal or about other treatments to minimize your UC symptoms, get in touch with the colorectal experts at the Colorectal Clinic of Tampa Bay.