What foods help lymphocytic colitis? A dietary guide

October 11, 2025 •

4 min read

Chronic watery diarrhea is the most common symptom of lymphocytic colitis, a form of microscopic colitis, and while no specific diet can cure the condition, adjusting your eating habits can significantly help manage symptoms and promote healing. Finding out what foods help lymphocytic colitis is a key part of long-term symptom management alongside medical treatment.

Quick Summary

This guide provides practical dietary strategies for managing lymphocytic colitis, including ideal food choices during flare-ups and remission, potential triggers to avoid, and helpful lifestyle modifications.

Key Points

Identify Triggers: Use a food diary to pinpoint specific foods that worsen your symptoms, which can vary widely among individuals.
Embrace Bland Foods for Flares: During flare-ups, stick to a low-fat, low-fiber diet centered on easily digestible foods like the BRAT diet staples, cooked vegetables, and lean proteins.
Adopt an Anti-Inflammatory Approach in Remission: In remission, incorporate anti-inflammatory foods rich in omega-3s, such as fatty fish, and slowly reintroduce soluble fiber.
Consider Probiotics and Supplements: Probiotic-rich foods like yogurt and kefir, or supplements like omega-3s, may support gut health, but always consult your doctor first.
Avoid Common Irritants: Limit or eliminate known culprits like caffeine, alcohol, artificial sweeteners, and potentially dairy or gluten if you find them problematic.
Stay Hydrated and Eat Small Meals: Combat dehydration from diarrhea by drinking plenty of fluids, and reduce digestive strain by eating smaller, more frequent meals.

Understanding Lymphocytic Colitis and Diet

Lymphocytic colitis is a type of microscopic colitis, a condition causing inflammation of the colon that is only visible through a microscope. The resulting inflammation can interfere with the colon's ability to reabsorb water and electrolytes, leading to the hallmark symptom of chronic, watery diarrhea. While dietary factors are not believed to cause the disease, food choices can significantly influence symptom severity and help promote gut healing. The optimal diet often changes depending on whether you are experiencing an active flare-up or are in a state of remission.

Beneficial Foods During a Flare-Up

During an active flare-up with severe diarrhea, the focus is on calming the digestive system with bland, easily digestible, low-fat, and low-fiber foods. This approach minimizes irritation and helps manage diarrhea.

The BRAT Diet: A short-term strategy, this diet includes bananas, rice (white), applesauce, and toast (white). These foods are bland and binding, which can help firm up stool.
Cooked Vegetables: Thoroughly cooked, peeled, and puréed vegetables are easier to digest than raw ones. Options include carrots, potatoes without skin, squash, and green beans.
Lean Proteins: Lean, tender proteins are generally well-tolerated. Good examples include skinless chicken, fish (like salmon), eggs, and tofu.
Refined Grains: Unlike remission, during a flare-up, refined grains like white bread and white pasta are often recommended over whole grains to reduce insoluble fiber.

Anti-Inflammatory Foods for Remission

Once symptoms subside and you enter remission, you can gradually reintroduce a wider variety of foods. The goal is to support gut health and reduce overall inflammation. A diet rich in anti-inflammatory nutrients is recommended.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Found in fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel, omega-3s are known for their anti-inflammatory properties. Walnuts and flaxseed are also excellent sources.
Probiotics: Foods containing live and active cultures can help restore a healthy balance of gut bacteria. Good choices include yogurt with live cultures, kefir, and fermented vegetables like sauerkraut and kimchi.
Soluble Fiber: During remission, slowly increasing soluble fiber intake can be beneficial. Sources include oatmeal, peeled apples, carrots, and sweet potatoes. Soluble fiber absorbs water and can help regulate bowel movements.
Healthy Fats: While avoiding saturated fats, incorporating healthy fats like olive oil and avocado can provide important nutrients.

Foods to Limit or Avoid

Identifying and avoiding individual triggers is crucial for managing lymphocytic colitis. Common irritants that often worsen symptoms include:

High-Fat Foods: Fried and fatty foods can be difficult to digest and may aggravate diarrhea.
Caffeine and Alcohol: Both can stimulate the digestive system and contribute to diarrhea.
Artificial Sweeteners: Sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners found in many diet products can have a laxative effect.
Dairy Products: Many people with microscopic colitis are also lactose intolerant, so limiting or avoiding dairy may be necessary, especially during a flare.
Gluten: Individuals with lymphocytic colitis have a higher risk of also having celiac disease. Testing for celiac disease or trialing a gluten-free diet may be recommended.
Insoluble Fiber: While important for long-term health, foods high in insoluble fiber, like whole grains, nuts, and seeds, can be irritating during an active flare-up.

Sample Diet Comparison: Flare vs. Remission


	During a Flare-Up	During Remission
Carbohydrates	White rice, white pasta, white bread, cream of wheat	Brown rice, gluten-free oats, sweet potatoes, cooked and cooled potatoes
Proteins	Lean chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, tofu	Expand to include a wider variety of lean meats and fish, including those rich in omega-3s like salmon
Fruits	Applesauce, ripe bananas, melons, cooked or peeled fruits	A wider variety of fruits, including berries and peeled apples
Vegetables	Cooked, peeled, and soft vegetables like carrots, squash, green beans	Gradually reintroduce cooked vegetables, including leafy greens. Limit raw or cruciferous vegetables at first
Dairy	Avoid or use lactose-free options like milk alternatives	Slowly reintroduce low-lactose items if tolerated. Continue lactose-free if sensitive
Fats	Low-fat cooking methods, minimal added fats	Healthy fats from olive oil, avocados, and nuts (if tolerated)
Beverages	Water, broth, diluted fruit juice, electrolyte drinks	Ample water; may tolerate some non-caffeinated tea. Avoid alcohol and caffeine

Lifestyle Adjustments for Symptom Control

Beyond specific food choices, adopting certain lifestyle practices can help manage your condition.

Eat Smaller, Frequent Meals: Eating several small meals instead of three large ones can be easier on the digestive system.
Stay Hydrated: Frequent diarrhea can lead to dehydration. Drinking plenty of water, broth, or electrolyte drinks is essential.
Manage Stress: Stress can impact gut health. Techniques like yoga, meditation, and regular exercise can help.
Keep a Food Diary: Track what you eat and how it affects your symptoms to identify personal triggers.
Quit Smoking: Smoking is a known risk factor for microscopic colitis and should be avoided.
Consult a Healthcare Provider: Always consult with a doctor or a registered dietitian before making major dietary changes or using supplements.

The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation provides a wealth of resources on managing inflammatory bowel diseases and diet.

Conclusion: Navigating Your Diet with Confidence

Managing lymphocytic colitis with diet involves a personalized and mindful approach. Focusing on bland, low-fat, and low-fiber foods during flares can help calm symptoms, while incorporating anti-inflammatory and gut-supporting foods in remission can aid long-term wellness. Keeping a food diary is a powerful tool for identifying specific triggers. By combining careful food selection with other positive lifestyle adjustments, individuals with lymphocytic colitis can take an active role in managing their condition and improving their quality of life. Always work with your healthcare team to develop a plan that is right for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

During an active flare-up, high-fiber foods should be limited to prevent irritation and worsening diarrhea. In remission, you can slowly reintroduce soluble fiber from sources like oatmeal and peeled fruits to support long-term gut health.

Dairy products, particularly those high in lactose, can worsen symptoms for many people with lymphocytic colitis. It is often recommended to limit or eliminate dairy, especially during flares, or to opt for lactose-free alternatives.

There is a link between microscopic colitis and celiac disease, so some individuals may benefit from a gluten-free diet. However, not everyone needs to avoid gluten. Consult your doctor to discuss whether a gluten-free diet or celiac testing is right for you.

Both caffeine and alcohol can stimulate the digestive system and irritate the gut, which can worsen diarrhea and other symptoms. It is generally recommended to avoid both, especially during a flare-up.

The BRAT diet—bananas, rice, applesauce, toast—consists of bland, low-fiber foods that are easy to digest. It can be an effective short-term strategy for managing severe diarrhea during a flare-up but is not a nutritionally complete long-term solution.

Frequent watery diarrhea can lead to dehydration. It is vital to drink plenty of fluids, including water, broths, and diluted fruit juices. Electrolyte drinks can help replace lost sodium and potassium.

The best long-term diet is a personalized one that focuses on anti-inflammatory whole foods, healthy fats, and soluble fiber, while avoiding your specific triggers. Keeping a food diary and working with a dietitian is the most effective approach.