Digestive System Disorders. Ulcerative Colitis Diet

Since Ulcerative Colitis is a digestive disease, you may wonder if there are any changes in diet that you have to take to relieve symptoms. Just like Crohn's disease, people with inflammatory bowel diseases find it difficult to get the necessary nutrients such as protein, vitamins and minerals. This is due to the fact that their intestines may not be able to take all the nutrients from the food they eat. Therefore these nutrients may be lost through diarrhea. As a result, the patient may have low levels of vitamins in their blood stream, such as B12 and folic acid and/ or may have anemia. Often, the symptoms of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease become worse after eating. As with any other chronic disease, good nutrition is important in the medical management of ulcerative colitis. Even though diet is not a contributing factor in the cause of ulcerative colitis or other types of IBD, special attention to diet may help replace lost nutrients, reduce symptoms and promote healing. However, certain foods may aggravate symptoms if the disease is active.

What Foods Can I Eat When My Colitis Is Active?

While dietary needs might vary with each case, a low residue diet might be prescribed to some people to help regain nutrients, reduce symptoms and promote healing. by doing so, the diet restricts or eliminates foods that increase bowel activity; such as prune juice or milk product and milk. It is also designed to reduce the amount and frequency of fecal output as well as prolonging digestive transit time. Guidelines for a low residue diet include foods to eat and foods to avoid. People who have ulcerative colitis may also need to take vitamin and mineral supplements to get the nutrients they need.

Low Residue Diet

Foods to include:

Pulp free juices
Limited servings of canned or well cooked vegetables that do not include skins, seeds, or pulp
Tender, ground, and well cooked meat, fish, and poultry
White bread, refined pasta and cereals, and white rice
Broth and strained soups from allowed foods
Milk and yogurt (usually limited to 2 cups per day), mild cheese, cottage cheese
Margarine, butter, vegetable oil, mayo, plain gravies and dressings

Foods to avoid:

Crunchy peanut butter
Dried beans, peas, and legumes
Raw vegetables
Strong cheeses, yogurt containing fruit skins or seeds
Whole grain breads and pastas, corn bread or muffins, products made with whole grain products, bran, seeds, or nuts
Tough meat, meat with gristle
Highly spiced food and dressings, pepper, hot sauces
Caffeine
Food containing chocolate, coconut
Juices with pulp
Millet, buckwheat, flax, oatmeal
Dried fruits, berries, other fruits with pulp or seeds

Occasionally, some patients with ulcerative colitis will be fed intravenously if the symptoms are so severe that they cannot absorb any nutrients from food. This feeding, called TPN (total parenteral nutrition), bypasses the process of eating and digesting food while the patient receives important nutrients such as salts, glucose, amino acids, lipids and added vitamins. This feeding is used when the patient in is the hospital and the feeding process gives the bowel a chance to heal.

Digestive System Disorders

Resources and information on ulcerative colitis, crohn's disease, IBS, diverticulitus, and other common digestive ailments

Ulcerative Colitis Diet