What should you eat when your intestines are inflamed? A comprehensive diet guide

October 8, 2025 •

5 min read

Medical research shows that dietary therapy can significantly improve the clinical activity scores for individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Understanding what should you eat when your intestines are inflamed is therefore crucial for managing symptoms, reducing flare-ups, and supporting overall gut healing. Your dietary needs will shift depending on whether you are in an active flare or remission.

Quick Summary

A dietary approach to managing intestinal inflammation involves consuming easily digestible, anti-inflammatory foods, and adequate protein while avoiding triggers. The strategy changes based on symptoms, with texture modification and personalized plans being key to symptom management during active inflammation and remission.

Key Points

Low-Residue During Flare-Ups: Stick to low-fiber, low-residue foods like refined grains and cooked, peeled fruits and vegetables to rest the inflamed bowel.
Gradual Reintroduction in Remission: Slowly and carefully reintroduce higher-fiber foods, whole grains, nuts, and seeds as symptoms improve to foster a diverse gut microbiome.
Focus on Anti-Inflammatory Foods: Incorporate foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as fatty fish, and spices like turmeric, to help combat inflammation.
Identify and Avoid Personal Triggers: Common triggers include high-fat and fried foods, spicy foods, caffeine, alcohol, and processed foods, but individual sensitivities vary significantly.
Prioritize Essential Nutrients: Focus on nutrients vital for gut healing, including zinc, vitamin D, glutamine, and magnesium, which support mucosal integrity and immune function.
Stay Hydrated and Manage Stress: Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration and practice stress-reduction techniques to help manage gut-brain axis responses to inflammation.

Navigating a Diet for Intestinal Inflammation

When your intestines are inflamed, the type of food you eat can have a profound impact on your symptoms. Inflammatory conditions like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis (UC) cause increased sensitivity in the digestive tract, meaning foods that are normally healthy can become irritants. There is no single universal diet for everyone with intestinal inflammation, but rather a need for a personalized approach that often changes depending on the severity of your symptoms. A balanced diet focusing on easily digestible foods during a flare-up and a more varied, fiber-rich diet during remission is often recommended. For many, managing this condition effectively requires careful meal planning and learning which foods are your personal triggers.

Diet During a Flare-Up

During an active flare-up of intestinal inflammation, the goal is to rest the bowel and minimize irritation. This typically involves following a low-fiber, low-residue diet for a short period.

Foods to favor during a flare-up:

Refined Grains: Opt for low-fiber, white flour products instead of whole grains. This includes white rice, plain white bread, and white pasta.
Cooked, Peeled Fruits and Vegetables: Cooking fruits and vegetables and removing the skins and seeds breaks down insoluble fiber, making them gentler on the digestive tract. Examples include applesauce, bananas, cantaloupe, peeled potatoes, and well-cooked carrots or green beans.
Lean Protein: Protein needs increase during active disease, so focus on tender, well-cooked sources like chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, and tofu. Smooth nut and seed butters can also be easier to digest than whole nuts and seeds.
Healthy Fluids: Staying hydrated is crucial, especially with symptoms like diarrhea. Water, broths, and rehydration beverages are recommended.

Diet During Remission

Once symptoms subside, the goal is to gradually reintroduce foods to achieve a more varied and nutritionally dense diet. This helps support gut microbiome diversity and long-term health.

Expanding your diet during remission:

Gradual Fiber Increase: Slowly add fiber back into your diet, starting with tender, cooked vegetables, canned fruits, and oatmeal. Well-tolerated whole grain options like brown rice or whole-wheat pasta can also be reintroduced.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and tuna are rich in omega-3s, which have potent anti-inflammatory properties. Walnuts and flaxseed oil are also good sources.
Probiotics and Prebiotics: Rebalancing the gut microbiota is key during remission. Include fermented foods with live cultures, such as plain yogurt, kefir, and kimchi. Prebiotic foods like bananas, oats, and asparagus feed beneficial gut bacteria.
Mediterranean Diet Principles: Research suggests a Mediterranean-style diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, fish, olive oil, and nuts, can help reduce inflammation.

Foods and Drinks to Avoid

Identifying and avoiding individual triggers is essential for managing intestinal inflammation. Some common irritants include:

High-Fat and Fried Foods: These can accelerate digestion and worsen diarrhea, gas, and bloating.
Spicy Foods: Spices like chili powder and hot sauce can irritate the intestinal lining.
High-Lactose Dairy: Many people with IBD are also lactose intolerant. Aged cheeses and lactose-free products may be better tolerated.
Caffeine and Alcohol: These can act as stimulants and irritate the digestive tract.
Refined Sugar and Processed Foods: These can negatively impact gut bacteria and promote inflammation.

Comparison of Diet During Flare-Up vs. Remission


Feature	During a Flare-Up	During Remission
Fiber	Low-fiber, low-residue diet.	Gradually increase fiber from well-tolerated sources.
Grains	Refined grains like white rice, white bread.	Slowly reintroduce whole grains like oatmeal and whole-wheat products.
Fruits & Veggies	Cooked, peeled, seedless fruits (bananas, applesauce) and cooked vegetables (carrots, green beans).	Broaden variety to include raw fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, and nuts.
Protein	Lean, well-cooked meats, fish, eggs, tofu.	More varied protein sources, including nuts and seeds.
Dairy	Low-lactose or lactose-free products if sensitive.	Can reintroduce higher-lactose dairy if tolerated.
Fats	Limit added fats and oils; stick to healthy sources like smooth nut butters.	Incorporate more omega-3 rich fats from fish, nuts, and oils.
Focus	Bowel rest, symptom management.	Gut healing, microbiome diversity.

Specialized Dietary Approaches

In addition to general dietary guidelines, several specialized diets have been explored for managing inflammatory bowel disease.

Low-FODMAP Diet: This temporary elimination diet restricts fermentable carbohydrates that can cause gas and bloating. It is most helpful for managing functional symptoms like bloating but doesn't necessarily reduce underlying inflammation.
IBD Anti-Inflammatory Diet (IBD-AID): This diet focuses on promoting beneficial gut bacteria and restricting certain pro-inflammatory carbohydrates like refined sugars and gluten.
Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD): The SCD eliminates grains, lactose, and complex carbohydrates, focusing on easily digestible foods. It aims to reduce inflammation by restricting foods that feed potentially harmful gut bacteria.

Key Nutrients for Intestinal Healing

Proper nutrition goes beyond just avoiding triggers. Certain vitamins and minerals are vital for supporting gut health and healing the intestinal lining.

Zinc: Essential for maintaining the integrity of the gut's mucosal lining and protecting against leaky gut syndrome. Good sources include oysters, red meat, and legumes.
Vitamin D: Helps regulate the immune system's function within the gut and reduce inflammation. Oily fish and fortified foods are good sources.
Glutamine: This amino acid supports digestion by aiding in the repair and growth of intestinal cells.
Omega-3s: These fatty acids have powerful anti-inflammatory effects.

Lifestyle Considerations

Diet is just one part of the puzzle. Other lifestyle factors play a significant role in managing intestinal inflammation.

Stay Hydrated: This is crucial, especially when experiencing diarrhea. Water and electrolyte-rich fluids help prevent dehydration.
Manage Stress: There is a strong gut-brain connection, and chronic stress can exacerbate inflammation. Incorporate stress-reducing activities like yoga, meditation, or mindfulness.
Eat Smaller, More Frequent Meals: This can be easier on the digestive system and help ensure you receive adequate nutrition when appetite is low.

Conclusion

Learning what should you eat when your intestines are inflamed is a crucial step toward managing symptoms and promoting long-term gut health. The ideal diet is not static but changes depending on your current state, from strict low-residue during a flare-up to a more varied, anti-inflammatory plan during remission. Since every individual is different, identifying personal triggers is key. Always consult with a healthcare provider or a registered dietitian before making significant dietary changes, especially when dealing with a chronic condition like inflammatory Bowel Disease. With a personalized and strategic nutritional approach, you can effectively manage your symptoms and improve your overall well-being. For more information, visit the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Lean, easily digestible protein is best, especially during a flare-up. Good options include skinless poultry, fish, eggs, and tofu, prepared by grilling, baking, or poaching rather than frying.

During a flare-up, raw vegetables should generally be avoided because their high insoluble fiber content can irritate the inflamed intestinal lining. Instead, opt for well-cooked, peeled, and seedless vegetables.

Probiotics, found in fermented foods like yogurt and kefir, can be beneficial during remission by helping to restore a healthy balance of gut bacteria. However, their efficacy during an active flare-up is uncertain and should be discussed with a doctor.

A low-FODMAP diet can temporarily help manage functional symptoms like bloating and gas by restricting certain carbohydrates. It is not a long-term solution and should be followed with professional guidance, especially since it doesn't address the underlying inflammation.

Staying hydrated is crucial because symptoms like diarrhea can increase the risk of dehydration. Drinking plenty of water, broths, and electrolyte-rich beverages helps to maintain fluid balance.

During a flare-up, the focus is on a low-fiber, low-residue diet to rest the bowel. During remission, you can gradually reintroduce a wider variety of foods, including more fiber and anti-inflammatory options, to support long-term gut health.

Keeping a food and symptom diary is a highly effective way to identify personal trigger foods. Log what you eat and any symptoms that arise, which can help reveal patterns of irritation.