Juicing for Ulcerative Colitis: Could It Help?
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Should You Consider Juicing for Ulcerative Colitis?

Should You Consider Juicing for Ulcerative Colitis?
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Updated on August 11, 2025
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They say food is medicine, but when you're recovering from an ulcerative colitis (UC) flare, the last thing you may want to do is eat. Along with symptoms like abdominal pain, cramps, and diarrhea, you may be grappling with loss of appetite, weight loss, and fatigue.

In some instances, the best way to eat enough nutrients is to drink them — in the form of juice. “People with inflammatory bowel disease typically have difficulty digesting whole plant foods, so they often eat very few fruits and vegetables, due to irritation,” says Desiree Nielsen, a registered dietitian based in Vancouver, British Columbia, and the author of Good for Your Gut.

During a flare, you’ll likely follow a more limited diet, eating foods like applesauce, white rice, or peanut butter.

 Right after a flare, you may want to drink fresh juices, says Nielsen, and when you’re feeling better, you can try making a smoothie.
A blender or juicer can do a lot of predigestion work for you, so your body will have an easier time absorbing the vitamins and minerals, says Nielsen. The difference between smoothies and juices is that smoothies may contain fiber (albeit in a broken-down form that’s more friendly to digestion), whereas in juices the fiber is mostly removed.

Here’s how to make sure the juice is worth the squeeze.

Best Juices for Ulcerative Colitis

While specific research on juicing as a treatment for UC is limited, the benefit is probably nutritional.

 Fruit and vegetable juices can be a helpful way to get easily digestible vitamins and minerals, especially when your appetite is small or you’re reintroducing foods after a flare.

It’s important to listen to your body, as you may tolerate some fruits and vegetables better than others. Ultimately, your personal taste and what your gut can handle will be your best guide.

Pomegranate Juice

Pomegranates are packed with powerful antioxidants called ellagitannins. Some studies suggest that these compounds may help manage UC symptoms in several ways. Researchers believe that they may help calm inflammation, protect cells from damage, strengthen the gut lining, and support a healthy balance of gut bacteria.

Further research is needed to understand the potential role, if any, that pomegranate juice could play in a typical UC treatment plan.

Wheatgrass Juice

In one small randomized trial, participants were given wheatgrass juice or placebo for a month. Those who drank wheatgrass juice had lower disease activity overall, and less rectal bleeding, than those who received placebo. More research is needed to confirm these findings.

One thing to keep in mind is the flavor. Wheatgrass can have a very strong, grassy taste, but some also describe it as similar to green tea.

Ginger Juice

“[Ginger] helps with stomach emptying and may ease sensations of overfullness or stomach discomfort,” says Nielsen.

 Some people love the taste, but others find it overpowering. If you fall into the latter category, try adding a few shavings of fresh ginger root or a pinch of powdered ginger to your juice, a little at a time.

Turmeric Juice

There’s some evidence that curcumin, the vibrant yellow compound in turmeric, can help counter inflammation in the body. It works by reducing inflammatory messengers, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and inhibiting damaging molecules associated with oxidative stress.

That said, Nielsen points out that the doses of turmeric studied are often much larger than what you’d eat on your own. This is because the body has a hard time absorbing curcumin. To get around this, many studies use high-dose supplements, often combined with piperine (an extract from black pepper) to boost absorption.

How to Buy and Make Juice for Ulcerative Colitis

Whether you prefer to make your own juice at home or buy it ready-made, you have options. You can find fresh, cold-pressed juices at a juice bar or grab bottled fresh or shelf-stable juices at the grocery store.

Of these, Nielsen suggests opting for freshly pressed juices from both fruits and vegetables. “They will typically contain far more nutrition than shelf-stable fruit juices,” she says. When buying bottled juice, always opt for one that is 100 percent juice and contains no added sugar.

Don’t be afraid to try new juice combinations. Over time, you’ll learn which flavors you enjoy most.

Keep in mind, too, that juices are not an adequate source of all the nutrition your body needs, primarily because they lack protein. For that reason, juice shouldn’t be a meal replacement, says Nielsen. If you have diabetes, a common co-occurring condition in people with IBD, be cautious, as juices can be high in sugar. Drinking them alongside fat and protein can slow digestion and prevent blood sugar spikes.

The Takeaway

  • If you have ulcerative colitis, juicing may be a gentle way to get some essential vitamins and minerals your body needs.
  • Certain juices, such as pomegranate, wheatgrass, ginger, and turmeric, may offer anti-inflammatory benefits, but more research is needed to fully understand their role in a UC treatment plan.
  • Listen to your body and choose juices that you tolerate well. Always opt for 100 percent juice with no added sugar, and remember that juice should not replace whole meals, because it lacks protein.
  • If you have diabetes or another chronic health condition, be aware that juices can spike blood sugar, so it’s best to consume them alongside fat and protein.
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. Signs and Symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis. Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.
  2. What Should I Eat? Crohn's & Colitis Foundation.
  3. Is Juicing Healthier Than Eating Whole Fruits or Vegetables? Mayo Clinic. August 23, 2023.
  4. Perri MR et al. Beneficial Role of Fruits, Their Juices, and Freeze-Dried Powders on Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Related Dysbiosis. Plants. December 21, 2021.
  5. Li H et al. Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) and Its Rich Ellagitannins as Potential Inhibitors in Ulcerative Colitis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. December 16, 2023.
  6. Ben-Arye E et al. Wheat Grass Juice in the Treatment of Active Distal Ulcerative Colitis: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial. Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology. 2002.
  7. Aregawi LG et al. Preventive and Therapeutic Effects of Ginger on Bowel Disease: A Review of Clinical Trials. Pharmacological Research. June 22, 2024.
  8. 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 24, 2021.
  9. Brown ME. Turmeric Benefits. Johns Hopkins Medicine.
  10. Murillo S et al. Culinary Strategies to Manage Glycemic Response in People With Type 2 Diabetes: A Narrative Review. Frontiers in Nutrition. November 10, 2022.
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Ira Daniel Breite, MD

Medical Reviewer
Castle Connolly Top Doctor

Ira Daniel Breite, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He is an associate professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where he also sees patients and helps run an ambulatory surgery center.

Dr. Breite divides his time between technical procedures, reading about new topics, and helping patients with some of their most intimate problems. He finds the deepest fulfillment in the long-term relationships he develops and is thrilled when a patient with irritable bowel syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease improves on the regimen he worked with them to create.

Breite went to Albert Einstein College of Medicine for medical school, followed by a residency at NYU and Bellevue Hospital and a gastroenterology fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Working in city hospitals helped him become resourceful and taught him how to interact with people from different backgrounds.

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Jessica Migala is a freelance writer with over 15 years of experience, specializing in health, nutrition, fitness, and beauty. She has written extensively about vision care, diabetes, dermatology, gastrointestinal health, cardiovascular health, cancer, pregnancy, and gynecology. She was previously an assistant editor at Prevention where she wrote monthly science-based beauty news items and feature stories.

She has contributed to more than 40 print and digital publications, including Cosmopolitan, O:The Oprah Magazine, Real Simple, Woman’s Day, Women’s Health, Fitness, Family Circle, Health, Prevention, Self, VICE, and more. Migala lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, two young boys, rescue beagle, and 15 fish. When not reporting, she likes running, bike rides, and a glass of wine (in moderation, of course).

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