Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a condition that inflames the digestive tract riddles it with ulcers. There are various triggers of ulcerative colitis, and the main culprits are certain trigger foods. Eating such foods can cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, nausea, and fatigue.If you’re not sure if you have UC, be sure to look up “ulcerative colitis specialist near me” to get tested, receive a diagnosis, and begin treatment as soon as possible.

To manage ulcerative colitis, it’s important to try treatments (like UC flare up treatments) prescribed from your doctor, such as Remicade infusion for ulcerative colitis or Skyrizi injection. If you’re worried about the cost of Stelara injection without insurance, Vedolizumab cost, or Entybio immediate infusion med cost, it may be time to start looking into health insurance plans that can assist you. What many individuals with UC forget to do is steer clear of foods that can cause flareups. Here, we’ve listed some common foods to avoid for people with ulcerative colitis.

1. High-fiber Fruits and Veggies
Although fruits and vegetables are nutritious, many of them contain a lot of fiber. And excess fiber consumption is known to trigger and worsen ulcerative colitis symptoms like abdominal pain, cramping, and uncontrollable bowel movements. Some fiber-rich fruits and vegetables include apples, pears, peaches, broccoli, cauliflower, and leafy greens. During flare-ups, one must completely avoid high-fiber foods. However, if the fruits are peeled and veggies are well-cooked, one can eat them in limited amounts.

2. Dairy Products
Dairy products are common ulcerative colitis triggers as they contain lactose, which most adults cannot digest. Many people with the disease experience increased diarrhea, abdominal pain, and gas after eating diary. For such people, it’s advisable to cut back on or eliminate these foods from their daily regimen. If dairy products do not trigger or worsen symptoms, one need not discard them.

3. Nuts and Seeds
These foods are packed with fibers and are harder to digest for those with ulcerative colitis, especially during flareups. Nuts and seeds trigger symptoms like bloating, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps. Some nuts and seeds patients must avoid are walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, and pistachios and sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, and flax seeds, respectively.

4. Gluten
Today, many people are sensitive or intolerant to gluten, and this issue is even more common among people with digestive problems like ulcerative colitis. Gluten is found in foods like bread, pasta, cereals, crackers, and cookies as well as added to food products like sauces, soups, and condiments. If one suspects gluten sensitivity, they must avoid all foods containing this protien for a few weeks and monitor their symptoms.

5. Foods With Sulfate and Sulfides
Sulfates assist the body in various processes but also feed a certain bacteria that produces an unusual, malodorous gas in those with ulcerative colitis. If people who already have too much of these bacteria in their colon eat sulfate or sulfide-rich foods, they are likely to experience increased bloating and smelly gas. These compounds are found in abundance in foods like red meat, milk, cruciferous vegetables, eggs, dried fruit, beer, and wine.

6. Carbonated Beverages
Those suffering from ulcerative colitis must keep a close eye on their symptoms after consuming carbonated beverages. In most cases, these drinks irritate the digestive tract and cause increased acidity. Beverages like coffee and canned juices are also loaded with sugar and caffeine, both of which can worsen ulcerative colitis symptoms. The advisable thing to do is replace these drinks with herbal teas and sugar-free juices of certain fruits.