8 Foods to Eat During an Ulcerative Colitis Flare
Ulcerative ColitisHow to Manage and Treat UC

8 Foods to Eat During an Ulcerative Colitis Flare

In addition to avoiding certain foods, it’s important to get the nutrients you need during an ulcerative colitis flare.
8 Foods to Eat During an Ulcerative Colitis Flare
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Updated on June 17, 2025
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8 Foods to Eat During an Ulcerative Colitis Flare

Discover 8 foods that can help soothe an ulcerative colitis flare. Explore how these foods can provide key nutrients without aggravating symptoms.
8 Foods to Eat During an Ulcerative Colitis Flare

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If you have ulcerative colitis (UC), you may know which foods to avoid. For example, this usually includes temporarily limiting foods high in fiber, which can be hard on a sensitive gut.

But figuring out what to add to your diet is equally important, because the right foods will provide you with key nutrients without aggravating your symptoms. Remember that it’s wise to contact your healthcare provider before making any drastic changes to your diet. Know, too, that what works for one person may not work for everyone with UC.

“It’s important for people with ulcerative colitis to work with a registered dietitian-nutritionist to develop an individualized meal plan,” says Shannon Szeles, RDN, owner of PostGlo Nutrition & Wellness in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. “This can help provide specific calorie and nutrient goals [because] all bodies tolerate foods differently.”

Consider eating these eight foods during a UC flare.

1. Applesauce

Because your gastrointestinal system is irritated during a flare, you may want to stick with soft, easily digestible foods, such as applesauce.

Be sure to choose one without added sugar, though, because added sugar can trigger UC symptoms.

 You can also make your own sugar-free applesauce by cooking peeled, sliced apples with some water and then pureeing the mixture.

2. Ripe Bananas and Canned Fruits

Although dietitians generally recommend avoiding raw fruits during a flare, you may find that you can tolerate very ripe, soft bananas.

 Bananas are also a good source of carbohydrates, which provide energy.

Also, fruit canned in their own juice, such as pears or peaches, may not be irritating, says Szeles.

3. Cooked Vegetables

Soft, cooked veggies such as carrots and spinach are not only gentle on the gut, but they can also provide important nutrients, such as vitamins A and K.

 Just make sure the vegetables are cooked until they can be mashed with a fork, Szeles says, so that any potentially irritating fiber is broken down.

4. Yogurt

If you can tolerate lactose, unsweetened yogurt can provide you with some protein and probiotics, which are live bacteria that may help the digestive system.

 Be sure to buy yogurt that says “live and active cultures” on the label, Szeles says.

Avoid yogurt that contains large chunks of fruit, which could be hard to digest. “It’s fine if yogurt has fruit that’s soft, seedless, and blended in,” Szeles says.

5. Salmon

It’s important to include protein in your diet that doesn’t come from red or processed meat to limit intestinal inflammation,

 which makes salmon a gut-friendly pick. In addition to being a great source of protein, salmon has healthy omega-3 fatty acids that may help reduce inflammation. If you don’t like salmon, you can eat tuna or other fish that are high in omega-3 fatty acids.

Neilanjan Nandi, MD, a gastroenterologist and an associate professor of gastroenterology in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, recommends baking, broiling, or sautéing salmon rather than frying it. “Frying fish causes it to lose a lot of its nutritional value,” he says.

6. Nut Butters

Peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, and other nut butters are another gut-friendly source of protein and healthy fats. Choose creamy peanut butter instead of chunky to avoid having to digest difficult nut pieces, which could cause further irritation during a flare.

Try eating peanut butter on white bread, Dr. Nandi says, or spread it on a tortilla. Another good choice is nut butter on low-fiber crackers, such as saltines.

7. White Rice and Turmeric

If you can’t tolerate most foods during a UC flare, you may want to stick with bland choices, such as cooked white rice. If you want to add flavor, try sprinkling it with turmeric, a yellow-orange spice whose key ingredient is curcumin. Some research suggests curcumin may be beneficial for UC, though more studies are needed to confirm this.

Turmeric is widely used in India, where the incidence of IBD is lower than in the global population, says Arun Swaminath, MD, the chief of gastroenterology and the director of the inflammatory bowel diseases program at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

8. Water, Sports Drinks, and Fruit Juice

When diarrhea accompanies a UC flare, you can lose a lot of fluids that you must replenish.

Sports drinks combined with water in a 1:1 ratio can help replace lost carbohydrates and electrolytes, Nandi says. No-pulp fruit juice is also an option, Szeles says, but avoid prune juice because of its high fiber content.

The Takeaway

  • Foods such as applesauce, cooked vegetables, and white rice may be gentle on your digestive system during an ulcerative colitis flare, whereas raw fruits and veggies and foods high in fiber may irritate the gut.
  • Staying hydrated is important, especially if you’re experiencing diarrhea.
  • Diets are not one-size-fits-all. Contact your doctor or dietitian to help you decide on a nutrition plan that meets your needs.

Additional reporting by Nina Wasserman.

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. A Nutritional Plan for Anyone Living With Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis. Cleveland Clinic. January 30, 2024.
  2. Inflammatory Bowel Disease Diet Guidelines. University of Wisconsin Health. February 2023.
  3. What Should I Eat? Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.
  4. Peel It Back: Let’s Look at the Health Benefits of Bananas. Cleveland Clinic. May 6, 2025.
  5. The best foods for vitamins and minerals. Harvard Medical School.
  6. Yogurt. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. November 2019.
  7. Keshteli AH et al. Anti-Inflammatory Diet Prevents Subclinical Colonic Inflammation and Alters Metabolomic Profile of Ulcerative Colitis Patients in Clinical Remission. Nutrients. August 11, 2022.
  8. Omega-3 Fatty Acids. National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. July 18, 2022.
  9. Goulart RA et al. Effects of the Use of Curcumin on Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease: A Systematic Review. Journal of Medicinal Food. July 2021.
  10. Giri S et al. Burden of inflammatory bowel disease in India: analysis of the Global Burden of Disease study from 1990 to 2019. Intestinal Research. February 6, 2025.
  11. Dehydration. Crohn’s & Colitis UK. February 2022.
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