5 Foods to Avoid with Ulcerative Colitis

People with an inflammatory bowel disease like ulcerative colitis (UC) often learn through experience what foods make their symptoms worse. 

Ulcerative colitis can cause diarrhea, blood in the stools, abdominal pain, and weight loss. What you eat doesn’t cause ulcerative colitis, but it can affect ulcerative colitis symptoms. Some foods help relieve symptoms, while other foods may make ulcerative colitis worse. 

Currently there’s no specific ulcerative colitis diet that works for everyone with ulcerative colitis. But let’s look at the evidence behind foods to avoid if you have ulcerative colitis. 

1. High-fat foods

Most people have heard that certain fats can affect heart health. But the amount and type of fat you eat can affect digestive health as well. For people with ulcerative colitis, a high-fat diet can hurt the gut in a few ways:

• Less “good” bacteria in the gut. A healthy gut microbiome is important for digestion and protection against infection. A high-fat diet can change the balance of “good” and “bad” bacteria.  

• More bile acids. Bile acids are released in order to help digest fats. This means that a high-fat diet increases the amount of bile acids in the colon. This can lead to more inflammation and damage to the colon cells.

• A weaker protective barrier in the colon. The lining of the gut normally stops harmful bacteria, viruses, and other substances from entering the body. Changes in the microbiome and the infection-fighting cells in the gut can make it easier for harmful invaders to enter.

One study showed that people with ulcerative colitis who ate a diet high in palm oil, coconut oil, or dairy fats had an increased risk of symptoms. Limit fried and fast foods, and try using olive oil instead of butter to reduce ulcerative colitis symptoms.

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2. Red meat and processed meat

Processed meats like beef, bacon, sausage, and hot dogs can affect symptoms of ulcerative colitis. They’re also linked to a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer. People with ulcerative colitis are already at higher risk for developing colorectal cancer. So it can help to avoid other things that also increase the risk of developing colon cancer. 

For people with ulcerative colitis, eating a lot of red meat is associated with an increased risk of ulcerative colitis flares. Eating less red meat can mean less time with symptoms of ulcerative colitis. Try alternatives like fresh chicken, turkey, fish, or plant-based proteins, such as soy, beans, and lentils.

3. Added sugar

People with ulcerative colitis experience inflammation and injury to the lining of the gut. High-sugar diets make it harder for the cells in the gut to grow and repair damage. In animal studies, mice who ate a high-sugar diet had more severe inflammation and had a harder time healing from injury. A high-sugar diet may also negatively affect the balance of bacteria in the gut. 

Foods with lots of added sugar include: 

• Cookies and cakes 

• Ice cream

• Condiments like ketchup and barbecue sauces

• Drinks like sodas or electrolyte drinks

• Sweetened yogurts

You can replace high-sugar foods with fruit, unsweetened yogurt, and low-sugar condiments like mustard. Swap sugary drinks with unsweetened tea, water with lemon or infused with fruit.

4. Ultra-processed food

There’s evidence that eating ultra-processed foods can damage the gut microbiome, increase inflammation, and weaken the protective barrier in the gut. Some research has shown that diets low in ultra-processed food and high in fiber are associated with symptom relief and improvement in ulcers in people with ulcerative colitis. But other studies didn’t find a strong link between ultra-processed foods and the risk for ulcerative colitis.

You can limit how much ultra-processed foods you eat by preparing meals at home with fresh ingredients, replacing sweetened cereals with oatmeal, skipping soda in favor of fruit-infused water, and picking whole-wheat bread rather than white bread. 

5. Alcohol

Alcohol can directly injure the lining of the digestive tract. Like other foods on this list, alcohol can impact the ratio of “good” to “bad” bacteria in the intestines. 

In people with ulcerative colitis, alcohol use has been shown to worsen symptoms. One study of people hospitalized with ulcerative colitis found that alcohol use was associated with increased infections, greater use of antibiotics, and more colon biopsies.

Finally, many medications that are used to treat ulcerative colitis can interact with alcohol. Alcohol may decrease the effectiveness of common ulcerative colitis medications like mesalamine and cyclosporine. Drinking alcohol can also increase the risk of liver damage if you’re taking methotrexate.

What are the best foods to eat if you have ulcerative colitis?

So what should you eat if you have ulcerative colitis? The answer may be a little different for each person depending on their nutritional needs and other health conditions. But in general, these foods have benefits when it comes to gut health:

• Fruits and vegetables. A diet full of fruits and veggies may be particularly helpful for people with UC. Plant-based diets can help reduce inflammation, improve symptoms, and lower the risk of malnutrition. 

• Olive oil. Olive oil may help prevent intestinal inflammation and reduce the risk of cancer.

• Yogurt. Yogurt is a source of beneficial microorganisms that can improve the course of ulcerative colitis. 

• Eggs. Eggs prevent the formation of inflammatory chemicals and increase production of anti-inflammatory chemicals in the body.

• Turmeric. Turmeric is a spice that may help reduce UC flares and relieve symptoms.

Is there an ulcerative colitis diet?

No, there’s no ulcerative colitis diet that works for everyone. 

Some evidence shows that following the Mediterranean diet led to improved quality of life and decreased malnutrition in people with UC. A low FODMAP diet may help reduce symptoms in some people with ulcerative colitis. An even more restrictive diet called the “ulcerative colitis exclusion diet” had positive results in small studies with children. But more research is needed to determine if these diets are effective treatments for UC.

Keep in mind: People with ulcerative colitis are at risk for developing malnutrition. It’s best to consult with a dietician who has experience working with people with UC. This way you can be sure your diet plan is safe to follow in the long term. 

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Amy Walsh, MD, MDP

I have worked as an emergency physician for 15 years, including care at both rural hospitals and trauma centers. I am the former Global Emergency Medicine fellowship director at Health Partners.

Edited by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

Reviewed by:

Christine Giordano, MD

Christine Giordano, MD, is board-certified in general internal medicine. She received her medical degree from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and completed residency at Thomas Jefferson University.

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