Patients with ulcerative colitis have to pay special attention to their diet. Although the food that you eat does not cause ulcerative colitis, it does have the potential to flare-up its symptoms. So, to keep those triggers in check, here are five eating tips for patients with ulcerative colitis.

1. Include low fiber foods
A low fiber diet leaves behind less residue, so this diet is also known as a low-residue diet. The residue is the food that the body is not able to digest, and it ends up in the stool. Although the diet is low in fiber content, residue and fiber are still not the same things. Foods low in fiber content can be digested by the body easily. They can also reduce diarrhea and slow down bowel movements. People with ulcerative colitis can continue with foods that they eat. However, they need to make sure that the fiber consumption in their diet remains between 10 and 15 grams in a day. Foods that you can include for a low residue diet are as follows.

• Raw or ripe bananas
• Melons
• Plums
• Cantaloupe
• Apricots
• Peaches

2. Eat tofu, fruits, vegetables, and grains
One of the most important eating tips for patients with ulcerative colitis during flare-ups is to include as many vegetables and fruits in their diet as possible. Besides, sources of lean proteins such as tofu should also be added to the diet. Ulcerative colitis patients must also include breakfast cereals and other grains in their diet.

3. Make sure you eat cooked vegetables
When you eat raw vegetables, it can get difficult for the digestive system to digest them. This can lead to bloating, gas, and pain in the stomach. Therefore, make sure you pick cooked vegetables over raw ones and peeled fruits over unpeeled fruits. If you do not want to lose out on all the nutrients while cooking, use the hot water in which you have boiled the vegetables to cook your rice. Boiling the rice in the leftover water will absorb all the nutrients left behind by vegetables, and your body will not be deprived of any nutrition.

4. Eat avocado
Avocados are loaded with healthy fats and protein. Although they are dense in calories, they are made of 70 percent water and are easy to digest. Therefore, people with ulcerative colitis must include avocados in their meals.

5. Stay away from caffeine and alcohol
Both caffeine and alcohol are considered to be gastric irritants. This means if you avoid including them in your diet, it will prevent flare-ups. In addition to these, carbonated beverages should also be put on a foods-to-avoid list by ulcerative colitis patients. This will help your gastrointestinal system to stay away from gas and air problems.