There are a large number of people who suffer from the effects of ulcerative colitis. This is an inflammatory bowel disease that causes long lasting ulcers and inflammation in the digestive tract. It affects the innermost lining of the large intestine and the rectum. The symptoms of ulcerative colitis generally appear over time, and not suddenly. The disease can be debilitating, and some of the complications can be life threatening.

There is no known cure for this disease, but treatment can help reduce some of the symptoms, and often bring long term remission. Avoiding certain foods will also help reduce symptoms:

1. Whole grains

An ulcerative colitis diet is basically a low fiber diet. Patients with this disease should avoid high fiber foods because they can be difficult to digest, especially during a flare up. Whole grain foods like breads, pastas, and cereals should be avoided. This also includes brown rice, quinoa, oats, and buckwheat.

2. Nuts

Nuts are another food that those suffering with ulcerative colitis should avoid. These may be wholesome snacks for many people, but they, too, are hard to digest and may cause pain or other symptoms to flare. Seeds like sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, pine seeds, and wild rice are fibrous foods that should be on the do not eat list.

3. Beans and legumes

Dried beans, peas, and lentils are all do not eat food if you have the inflammation of ulcerative colitis. This includes all beans including adzuki beans, and soy beans and nuts. These are high protein, high fiber foods that contain indigestible sugars, and they are well known to cause gas which can cause an increase in the symptoms of the disease.

4. Raw veggies with skins

Vegetables are great in any diet, but they contain a lot of fiber which makes not a good choice for ulcerative colitis sufferers. Some can be included in the diet if they are peeled or skinned, have no seeds, and are cooked until they are very soft.

5. Certain raw and dried fruits

Fruits are a healthy food, but not on a low fiber diet. If they are raw, dried, or contain seeds that you can not remove they belong on the do not eat food list. All of these foods are part of the low-FODMAP diet. This stands for fermentable oligo-, di-, mono-saccharides and polyols which scientific terms that are used to classify the various groups of carbohydrates that are known to trigger digestive symptoms including stomach pain, gas, and bloating.

6. Caffeine and alcohol

Other things to avoid when digestive problems exist are caffeine and alcohol. These are two substances that are hard to give up. That first cup of coffee in the morning may not seem like a trigger for ulcerative colitis, and many people do not want to accept that fact. Too much alcohol can be a contributory factor for other diseases also. Be mindful of the food that you eat, and stay away from the fibrous foods that will cause flare ups when you have ulcerative colitis. Eat well, but know what kinds of food to avoid.