What Not to Eat for Ulcerative Colitis
In a diet for ulcerative colitis, foods that increase inflammation in the body and irritate the intestine should be avoided, such as:
- Foods high in fat and fried foods: it is important to avoid highly processed fats such as margarine, soy oil, and corn oil;
- Excess sugar and sweets in general, as they increase inflammation in the intestine and worsen the intestinal flora;
- Powdered ready seasonings, such as chicken and beef broths, and ready-made sauces;
- Caffeine: coffee, green tea, black tea, mate tea, cola soft drinks, chocolate. These foods should be avoided during bouts of diarrhea [4];
- Processed meats such as sausage, sausage, ham, bologna, turkey breast, salami, and bacon;
- Pepper and spicy sauces;
- Gluten-containing diets, some individuals that have ulcerative colitis may be sensitive to gluten diets [5];
- Alcoholic beverages;
- Industrialized products rich in salt and preservatives, such as packaged snacks, industrialized cookies, and frozen ready food, such as lasagna and pizza;
- Foods very rich [6] in fiber, such as oat and wheat bran, seeds, popcorn, and leafy vegetables, as they can cause diarrhea;
- Milk and dairy products: for people who have lactose intolerance [7].
With the help of the food diary, it becomes easier to identify which foods worsen the symptoms, but the foods mentioned above usually worsen the symptoms or trigger the crises.
People with ulcerative colitis can also often suffer from lactose intolerance [8], and in these cases, avoid consumption of dairy products. Other people may suffer from intolerance to gluten, fructooligosaccharides, or have some other food allergy. In these cases, the ideal is to consult a nutritionist to avoid that the diet is too restrictive, but at the same time to avoid what causes allergy.