Why It Helps to Eat Small, Frequent Meals if You Have Ulcerative Colitis

“If you’ve got a low appetite or nausea, sometimes the only real way we can ensure you meet your ideal caloric intake is to try to eat smaller meals,” says Sowmya Sharma, MD, a gastroenterologist and general surgery resident at Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Burlington, Massachusetts. “It can be really difficult to eat larger meals,” she says.

The catch is that you shouldn’t think of these meals as snacks. Rather, these mini meals should be as well balanced as a larger meal, complete with all the protein, fat, fiber, and vitamins and minerals you need, says Dr. Sharma.

Some people assume that eating smaller meals throughout the day means eating more often. But you don’t necessarily have to eat, say, six meals a day instead of three. You may find that you only need four or five meals.

“It’s not uncommon for a lot of my patients to skip breakfast if they feel nauseated or don’t want to eat in the morning,” Sharma says. “I think one of the benefits of breakfast is you set yourself up for eating well throughout the day. But, if you’d rather graze later in the day, that’s absolutely okay.”

If you have nausea or heartburn after eating a late dinner, you might also want to limit your food intake a few hours before you go to sleep, says Sharma.

The bottom line: “As long as you’re eating in a way that you’re meeting your nutritional goals, we don’t say, ‘You must have this meal at a specific time,’” she says. Try breaking up your meals or eating at different times throughout the day.

“Everyone’s body responds differently to when you eat and how much you eat,” says Sharma. “I encourage patients to figure out, over time, what works for them and what their body can handle.”

You can find these nutrients in the following foods:

• Folate: Asparagus, Brussels sprouts, spinach, sunflower seeds, eggs, peanuts, and beans.

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• Calcium: Canned salmon or sardines (with bones), kale, bok choy, yogurt, milk, and fortified soy milk, almond milk, or orange juice.

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• Iron: Seafood, poultry, fortified breakfast cereals, white beans, lentils, kidney beans, peas, and raisins.

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If you can’t consume enough calories, protein, or healthy fats by eating smaller meals throughout the day, you may want to supplement your diet with meal replacement beverages, which have been designed to contain a balanced amount of nutrients and are fairly easy to digest, Sharma says.

• Foods containing lactose, such as cow’s milk
• Greasy, high-fat, and fried foods
• Foods with a lot of fiber, such as raw vegetables or fruits
• Spicy foods
• Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Sugary drinks like soda

The good news is that by eating smaller meals, some of these trigger foods may not set off your symptoms like they would if you were eating larger meals.

• Eating smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day, rather than three large ones, may help you manage uncomfortable ulcerative colitis symptoms.
• Make sure your mini meals are as well balanced as large meals and contain protein, fat, fiber, and other essential nutrients.
• If you need help creating a meal plan for UC that works for you, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian.