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Diet can be a tool to help manage symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and optimize health. This is individualized based on the needs of each person.

Here are some guidelines and helpful diet tips to try if you have IBD.

Diet Recommendations for IBD

Diet recommendations can vary based on each person’s IBD history and symptoms. Some diet recommendations can help to manage digestive symptoms such as changes in bowel habits, cramping/bloating, or nausea/vomiting. Diet can also be used to help maintain weight, especially if appetite is poor or it becomes too hard to eat enough food.

It is important to discuss any diet changes with your gastroenterologist or IBD dietitian to determine what works best for you.

What to Eat When You Have a Flare Up

When your IBD flares, or if you develop a stricture (narrowing of your intestines), choose foods that are easier to digest and avoid skins, seeds, or nuts.

Softening or pureeing foods may help to improve digestion and tolerance. Chewing food well can help improve tolerance and digestion. Using foods with soluble fibers, such as banana or potato, may also help thicken stool.

It may also be easier to separate your meals into smaller-sized portions, spaced four to six times throughout the day, to allow yourself more opportunities to get enough nutrition.

Here are a few tips for modifying the texture and reducing a food’s particle size:

• Purée your food for improved digestion.
• Cut/mince meals when appropriate.
• Choose naturally soft foods you can chew with minimal effort.
• Chew, chew chew.

These are examples of foods you may want to choose:

• Canned or cooked fruits (remove skins or seeds) — or soft fresh fruits like bananas or melons.
• Peeled, well-cooked vegetables like potatoes, squash, or asparagus tips.
• Lean proteins like ground chicken, fish, eggs, or tofu.
• White rice, pasta, or cooked wheat/rice.

Make sure you hydrate with water, vegetable juices, soups, broth, or electrolyte drinks. Avoid foods that can trigger more cramping or diarrhea, such as:

• Milk and dairy foods.
• Fatty, fried foods.
• Raw salads.
• Skins/seeds such as apple peels or raspberries.
• Sugary foods or desserts.
• Tough-to-digest vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, or cauliflower.
• Whole grains like whole wheat bread, barley, or quinoa.

What to Eat When You’re in Remission

When your IBD is in remission and you’re feeling well, try to eat well, too. A healthy, whole foods diet helps heal your digestive tract and reduce inflammation. Stay away from packaged, processed foods, and aim for lots of color and variety on each plate.

The Mediterranean diet is a good starting point. It’s high in:

• Beans/legumes.
• Fish.
• Fruits and vegetables.
• Healthy fats from olive oil, nuts, and seeds.
• Lean proteins such as chicken, turkey, and eggs.
• Whole grains.

This diet includes smaller amounts of high-fat dairy and limits red meat and sweets, which may help to reduce inflammation. Tailor the diet to fit your needs if there are healthy foods on the list you can’t tolerate

With IBD, it’s important to include a dietitian as part of your IBD health care team. And always listen to your body’s response to different foods. This is a great way to learn which foods to limit and which you can eat.

In some cases, additional supplements such as oral nutrition shakes or vitamins/minerals may be needed to optimize the diet for IBD. It is important to discuss these options with your IBD health care team prior to starting any supplements.

To learn more about how diet can impact IBD, visit our website.

Editor's Note: This article was originally published on July 16, 2021, and was last reviewed on August 27, 2025.