In the case of chronic conditions, like ulcerative colitis, patients should follow a set of lifestyle and dietary tips that can prevent flare-ups. Also, it’s imperative to know what food triggers a flare-up, so you can avoid these as much as possible. Lastly, it’s important to regularly consult a doctor and nutritionist to learn what to eat and avoid vitamin deficiency. Here are some dietary tips for ulcerative colitis:

• Always choose to eat low-fat food and cook food in low- or no-fat ways, like steaming or baking
• Avoid food that can cause gas, like cabbage and legumes
• Never eat raw fruits and vegetables; instead, steam or stew them
• Keep adequately hydrated by consuming 2 to 3 liters of fluids every day
• Eat five to six smaller meals instead of three large and heavy meals
• Chew food and never eat in a hurry or on the go

1. Foods to eat with ulcerative colitis
Here are some foods that are tolerated well and can be frequently included in the diet:

• Lean meat: Beef, veal, pork, venison, lamb, and poultry should be cooked well and chewed properly before swallowing.
• Luncheon meat: Lean cold veal or pork roast, cooked ham without fat, cured raw ham, corned beef, beef gelatin, beef sausage, and poultry.
• Fish: Trout, pike, perch, rosefish, sole, codfish, flounder, pollock, shellfish, and halibut.
• Eggs: Scrambled, omelet, or soft boiled eggs 2-3 times a week.
• Milk: Low-fat milk, buttermilk, sour milk, and yogurt in any form in small quantities and cheese with only up to 45 % fat content.
• Baked items: Only low-fat baked items like cookies and pastries.
• Vegetables: All steamed or boiled vegetables, except those that cause gas.
• Fruits: Stewed or cooked fruits.

2. Foods to avoid
If one has experienced severe symptoms, some of the above-mentioned items could trigger flare-ups in them, so they need to understand what suits them and choose their menu carefully. One of the important dietary tips for ulcerative colitis is to avoid the following foods:

• Fatty cuts of beef, veal, and pork
• Luncheon meats like smoked meat, all fatty and heavily spiced sausages, ready-to-eat meat, and salami tongue
• Fish like salmon, carp, mackerel, tuna fish in oil, canned fish, and ready-to-eat fish
• Hard-boiled and sunny-side-up eggs and egg salads
• Full-fat milk, ice cream, and all types of cheese
• Any raw vegetables and ones that can cause gas and bloating; avoid legumes
• Raw fruits
• Liquor, carbonated beverages, and coffee

These are wide guidelines, and the symptoms could vary from one person to another. Another helpful dietary tip for ulcerative colitis is to make a journal of what could have caused a flare-up and avoid those trigger foods in the future. The period when there are no flare-ups is called the inactive period, and one can consume probiotics to promote gut health and boost immunity during this time. Also, eat food low in sulfur, and consider taking supplements, particularly fish oil and omega-3 fatty acids.