A healthy diet can help you manage colitis, an intestinal disease that involves ulcers in your colon and rectum, which can cause inflammation, pain, bleeding, pus and diarrhea. A colitis diet avoids the foods and beverages that can irritate your colon and exacerbate your symptoms. Consult your doctor or nutritionist about your health and the best foods to eat for colitis.
Breakfast
A healthy breakfast for people with colitis is a glass of almond milk and a cup of vanilla-flavored soy yogurt and stewed prunes. Almonds are a good source of protein, healthy fats, vitamin E and calcium. Soy yogurt is good source of protein, healthy fats and calcium. Stewed prunes are easier tolerated than raw fruits and have laxative properties to help you have regular bowel movements. Dairy, high-fiber foods, such as raw fruits and vegetables and foods that cause gas, such as beans, cabbage, broccoli, raw fruit juices and caffeinated beverages, can be problematic for people with colitis, so avoid these foods.
Lunch
For lunch, have a spinach omelet with avocado and sweet potato. These foods are easily tolerated by people with colitis. Eggs are a good source of protein, choline, vitamins and minerals. Spinach is among the most nutrient-dense foods highly concentrated with antioxidants and cooking it makes it easier to tolerate. Avocados contain healthy fats, including monounsaturated fat. Sweet potatoes are a good source of vitamin A.
Dinner
A healthy dinner for people with colitis begins with a bowl of vegetable soup that includes carrots, celery, tomato, green beans and corn. For your entree, enjoy grilled halibut with steamed kale and mashed potatoes with chopped walnuts. The vegetables in the soup and the kale are cooked and will not irritate your intestines. Halibut is a fatty fish with high concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids called eicosapentaneoic acid and docosahexaneoic acid and walnuts also contain an omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid. Research published in the "World Journal of Gastroenterology" in December 2005 found that omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil have anti-inflammatory properties and may be helpful in patients with ulcerative colitis.
Snacks
Smoothies are a nutritious snack food for people with colitis. Because dairy is likely to be a problem, use coconut milk, almond milk, soy milk or carrot juice, bananas, mashed up blueberries or strawberries, honey and vanilla extract. Blend the ingredients and enjoy a refreshing treat. An alternative snack is mixed nuts with stewed fruit, such raisins, figs, apples or apricot.
References
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse; Ulcerative Colitis; February 2006
- MayoClinic.com; Ulcerative Colitis; August 2009
- Eat Right America: Full List of ANDI Scores
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Omega-3 Fatty Acids; June 2009
- "World Journal of Gastroenterology"; Effect of Fish Oil Enriched Enteral Diet on Inflammatory Bowel Disease Tissues in Organ Culture: Differential Effects on Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease; Doris Meister; December 2005
