Vegetables are packed with nutrition, but they can be hard to incorporate into your diet when you have ulcerative colitis (UC) because certain kinds can irritate the gut — especially during a flare. Still, that doesn’t mean you need to avoid them completely. Vegetables not only provide essential nutrients but can also contain prebiotics , a type of fiber that helps boost the growth of healthy gut bacteria, says Ryan Warren Mancini, RDN , who specializes in nutrition and counseling for patients with gastrointestinal (GI) conditions in private practice in New York. Research backs this up: People with UC who followed a high-fiber, low-fat diet for four weeks experienced lower levels of unhealthy gut bacteria and inflammation and reported a higher quality of life than those who followed a typical American diet, a small study showed.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629c58f5bb8-7e48-45da-a2a2-5e313af701a0 That said, not all veggies are created equal, and you may tolerate certain cooking methods more than others, particularly when you’re experiencing symptoms.
What Are the Best Vegetables for Ulcerative Colitis? Best Veggies for UC While every gut is different, many people with UC find that they can tolerate a wide range of vegetables when their symptoms are in remission (or they haven’t recently had GI surgery), says Arielle Leben, RD , a member of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center Clinical Care Team at NYU Langone Health in New York. These may include: Shredded carrots Butternut squash Acorn squash Zucchini Summer squash Potatoes Sweet potatoes Green beans Asparagus tips What makes these vegetables a particularly good bet? Many are high in soluble fiber, which pulls water into the GI tract to turn the fiber into a thick, gel-like substance during digestion and is gentle on the gut.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976292e3d1b70-12bd-43d7-a5ac-ee24fda5146e “This type of fiber may be beneficial to patients in a flare experiencing diarrhea , because it slows digestion and can improve the consistency of bowel movements,” Leben says. At the same time, they’re lower in insoluble fiber, which can be irritating to the gut, particularly during a flare. Insoluble fiber adds bulk to your stool, which can lead to more urgent or frequent trips to the bathroom.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976298f2434f7-357c-4aaa-8e30-db9672b6e716 “When experiencing active symptoms, a diet low in insoluble fiber can be part of the management process to reduce … irritation in the GI tract,” Mancini says. Avoiding insoluble fiber might help prevent or reduce bloating, diarrhea, or abdominal pain.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976295a6cb8b3-6138-4026-9d6f-b7db553254d5 Not all of these vegetables may be right for everyone, and you might find that you can tolerate certain vegetables when you’re symptom-free but not during a flare. UC diets aren’t one size fits all, varying from person to person, Mancini says.
Vegetables to Limit or Avoid With Ulcerative Colitis Veggies to Avoid Some veggies can trigger your symptoms or make them worse. “[Cruciferous vegetables] are common triggers for gas and bloating, regardless of whether they are raw or cooked,” Leben says.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762956222ee0-7b62-4d0d-b7b2-fd59744ff06b These may include: Broccoli Cauliflower Brussels sprouts Cabbage Depending on how they affect you, you may find that you need to limit them, steer clear of them during flares, or cut them out of your diet completely. Be careful with large amounts of tough, uncooked greens, too, such as kale salads. Although leafy greens that have been cooked until soft (and possibly blended or pureed) may be tolerable for some, the rough texture of the raw greens can be irritating, Mancini says. “But again, this will all depend on the patient,” she says.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629ab0e4ddf-8054-4ebb-89e2-50a74f05f5da Salads don’t have to be entirely off-limits, Mancini and Leben say. If you find that raw vegetables work for you when you’re not experiencing symptoms, go ahead and enjoy them in quantities you can tolerate.
How to Prep Vegetables for Ulcerative Colitis How to Prep Veggies for UC Cooked vegetables are often easier to tolerate than their raw counterparts, especially when you’re in the middle of a flare. Altering the texture can be helpful, too. You can make veggies easier on your GI tract by:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629aaa997d4-b7a5-4382-a659-7f1c40ada01e Peeling Them Peeling vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, turnips, squash, and potatoes strips away some of the insoluble fiber, making them less irritating to the gut, say Mancini and Leben. Cooking Them Until Soft Methods that make veggies tender without the need for too much added fat tend to be best. (Greasy foods can often trigger symptoms.)e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629fb01916c-e7fe-441a-8bee-73e5ede095cf Try baking, roasting, steaming, or lightly sautéing, Leben says. Mashing or Pureeing Them, If Needed Particularly during a flare, purees and very soft textures can be easier to digest. “Texture changes can help break down fibrous foods and improve tolerance,” says Leben. Try mashing soft-cooked veggies or blending them into soups or smoothies, Mancini says.
The Takeaway Vegetables are worth eating if you have ulcerative colitis (UC) because they contain important nutrients. It’s important to find options that work with your gut and don’t trigger UC symptoms. Soft-textured vegetables that are higher in soluble fiber and lower in insoluble fiber are often more easily tolerated, especially during a flare.
Resources We Trust Cleveland Clinic: A Nutritional Plan for Anyone Living With Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative ColitisMayo Clinic: Ulcerative Colitis Flare-Ups: 5 Tips to Manage ThemCrohn’s & Colitis Foundation: What Should I Eat?American Gastroenterological Association: Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): Role of FiberUniversity of California San Francisco Health: Nutrition Tips for Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Additional reporting by Abby McCoy .
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