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.
