“One of the reasons people with an active colitis flare-up follow a low-residue diet is to reduce symptoms in addition to trying to treat them,” says David T. Rubin, MD, the Joseph B. Kirsner Professor of Medicine and chief of the section of gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition at the University of Chicago Medicine. “It helps heal the gut by reducing the amount of indigestible or poorly digestible fiber. This will reduce trauma to the gut and therefore allow the gut to heal.”
But Dr. Rubin cautions that dietary changes won’t cure or treat UC. Rather, a low-residue diet can be a supportive tool alongside your prescribed medications to help reduce existing inflammation, calm symptoms, and decrease additional irritation.
“Managing symptoms is not the same as controlling the disease,” says Rubin. Diet alone is not enough to put UC into remission.
He adds that your diet should take into account your body’s nutritional needs. Long-term use of restrictive diets, such as the low-residue diet, may increase the risk of nutrient deficiency. This happens when you don’t get enough of the nutrients your body needs for daily functioning.
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