Ulcerative Colitis Facts At A Glance
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes inflammation and ulceration of the innermost lining of the colon and rectum (1). About 1.6 million Americans and 2.5 million Europeans are affected by this disease (2). The root cause of this inflammatory disease is not confirmed, but scientists have hypothesized that it may be caused due to the presence of pathogenic bacteria or virus in the gut or an immune system attack on normal gut bacteria (3). The most common symptoms are diarrhea, cramps, rectal bleeding, fever, loss of appetite, joint pain, liver disease, and eye problems. Ulcerative colitis can be diagnosed by X-ray, CT-scan, white blood cell scan, complete blood count, liver function, inflammation markers like C-reactive protein, vitamin B-12 levels, colonoscopy, and antibody blood test (4). It stays lifelong and can flare up from time to time. It can affect anyone at any age and may lead to colon cancer if you have the disease for more than 10 years (5). Medicinal treatments include steroids and medicines that help reduce inflammation, the overreaction of the immune system, and diarrhea. Sometimes, the affected part of the colon is removed to reduce the risk of developing colon cancer (6).
Now that we have got the facts straight, let’s look at which foods you should avoid.
Ulcerative Colitis – Foods To Avoid
1. Broccoli
You are lucky if you are someone who hates eating broccoli. This high-fiber food, loaded with phytonutrients that help improve your health, is a big no-no for you. That’s because broccoli takes longer to digest and can also cause bloating. So, avoid consuming broccoli in any form, i.e., blanched, grilled, sauteed, boiled, or raw.
2. Legumes
3. Alcohol
If you are suffering from ulcerative colitis, bid adieu to alcohol. Alcohol can highly irritate your colon lining and cause bloating, inflammation, and, in severe cases, rectal bleeding. So, toss your alcohol bottles into the bin and also stay away from drinking at social gatherings.
4. Aerated Drinks
5. Tea And Coffee
Tea and coffee both contain caffeine, which acts as a stimulant. Stimulants increase the transit time through the colon, thereby chafing the lining of the colon. So, it is best to avoid tea and coffee if you are suffering from ulcerative colitis.
6. Chocolate
7. Creamy And Greasy Food
Creamy and greasy foods containing loads of mayonnaise, butter, cream cheese, margarine, animal fat, etc. can irritate the inner lining of the colon. This can worsen the ulcers and may cause rectal bleeding. Avoid creamy pasta, macaroni and cheese, and creamy cheese containing foods to pacify your colon.
8. Mushroom And Corn
9. Whole Spices And Herbs
Spices are good but not the whole ones. Do not add whole spices to your food because they will not get digested properly and can scrape the highly sensitive large intestinal walls. If you want to add flavor and aroma to your food, you can chop or grind the herbs and spices and use them. You can also put the spices in a muslin cloth and place it in your food to transfer the aroma.
10. Prunes
11. Gluten
Gluten is found in oats, wheat, flour, barley, rye, etc. and can worsen the ulcerative colitis in people who are gluten sensitive. So, if you are gluten sensitive, do not consume foods that contain gluten. Be extra careful when you eat out because gluten can be present in sauces and can cause pain and diarrhea.
12. Seeds And Nuts
13. Fatty Meats
If you are suffering from ulcerative colitis, you should strictly avoid consuming fatty meats because they can cause chafing of the colon wall. Choose lean cuts of beef, pork, turkey, and chicken breast to get the protein.
14. Refined Sugar
15. Cabbage, Celery, And Brussels Sprouts
Avoid eating cabbage, celery, and Brussels sprouts because they are high in fiber and potential colon lining irritants. Instead, have sweet potato, potato, carrots, and squash. NOTE: Dairy is not mentioned in this list because a few people do not get ulcerative colitis flare-ups while others do. So, check with your doctor to find out if you can consume dairy products. It may seem like you have run out of options to eat, but that’s not the case. Here is the list of foods that you can eat.
Ulcerative Colitis – Foods To Eat
1. Fruit Juices
2. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are great for you as they have anti-inflammatory properties. You can have salmon, mackerel, sardines, flaxseed oil, ground almond, ground flax seeds, ground peanut, and smooth nut paste.
3. Squash
4. White Rice
White rice has minimal amounts of fiber and is, therefore, easy to digest. Have well cooked white rice to reduce the inflammatory reaction in your colon. [ Read: Brown Rice Vs. White Rice ]
5. Potato And Sweet Potato
6. Eggs
Eggs are a great source of fat-soluble vitamins, minerals, and omega-3-fatty acids. And the best thing about eggs is that they can be tolerated by people suffering from ulcerative colitis. Make scrambled or boiled eggs for a yummy and satisfying breakfast.
7. Avocado
8. Unsweetened Applesauce
Prepare an ulcerative colitis-friendly applesauce by peeling the apples and removing the seeds. Then, boil the apple to make applesauce but do not add refined sugar. You can use a bit of jaggery. Unsweetened applesauce will not cause any flare-ups.
9. Lean Meat
Lean meats like lean cuts of beef, pork, turkey, and chicken breast are your best sources of protein. Protein is essential for your body and should not be avoided. Have lean meats to avoid irritating the walls of your large intestine.
10. Flattened Rice
These were the list of foods you can consume if you are suffering from ulcerative colitis. Keeping these foods in mind, I have created a sample diet chart for you. Take a look.
Sample Ulcerative Colitis Diet
Alternative Ways To Treat Ulcerative Colitis
Quit Smoking
Reduce Stress
Yoga
Seek Help
Is bread good for ulcerative colitis? No, bread and other gluten-rich food items may aggravate the symptoms of ulcerative colitis. Is cucumber good for colitis? Yes, cucumber is good for colitis. But ensure you peel it to reduce the high fiber content.
Colitis, Ulcerative, StatPearls, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459282/ THE FACTS ABOUT Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, Crohns & Colitis Foundation of America.https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/sites/default/files/2019-02/Updated%20IBD%20Factbook.pdf Ulcerative colitis: diagnosis and management, The British Medical Journal, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1539087/ DIAGNOSING CROHN’S DISEASE AND ULCERATIVE COLITIS, Crohns & Colitis Foundation of America.https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/sites/default/files/legacy/assets/pdfs/diagnosingibd.pdf Risk for colorectal cancer in ulcerative colitis: Changes, causes and management strategies, World Journal of Gastroenterology, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2725331/ Surgical management of ulcerative colitis, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK6931/ Cancer: Prevention and Rehabilitation through Yoga, International Journal of Yoga, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5769194/
