Common Medical Diets for IBD

For people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), diet is a major concern. While there is no single diet that is prescribed for all people with IBD, there are several medical diets that could be used as a part of a treatment plan. At some point, most patients get sent home from the doctor's office or hospital with a special diet.

Here are a few of the specific diets that are most often recommended for IBD patients. Some are designed for post-surgical recovery and are not meant to be followed long-term; others can help you manage your symptoms on a day-to-day basis.

Cutting foods or food groups out of the diet for long periods could result in vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Always consult a physician before starting or stopping any diet.

1

Low FODMAP Diet

FODMAP is an acronym for "fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols." These are short-chain carbohydrates that are difficult for the small intestine to absorb. A low FODMAP diet limits or eliminates these foods, which include:

  • Dairy, including milk, yogurt, and ice cream
  • Wheat, including bread, cereal, and crackers
  • Beans and legumes
  • Certain fruits and vegetables, including apples, cherries, peaches, asparagus, onions, and garlic

Good low FODMAP choices include:

  • Eggs and meat
  • Grains like oats and rice
  • Vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes, and zucchini
  • Fruits like strawberries, oranges, and grapes

If your healthcare provider recommends a low-FODMAP diet, you'll start by eliminating high-FODMAP foods from your diet, then slowly reintroduce certain foods so you can identify the ones that cause problems for you. Once you have determined which foods are problematic and which are not, you can avoid those specific foods long-term and continue to eat the other foods that don't aggravate your symptoms.

2

Specific Carbohydrate Diet

Undigested starch is thought to trigger inflammation and changes in the bacterial flora in your digestive system. A specific carbohydrate diet is designed to address this problem by eliminating all grains and fiber from your diet, along with certain sugars.

When you follow a specific carbohydrate diet, you also eliminate:

  • Processed meats like sausage and deli meat
  • Artificial sweeteners
  • Commercially made condiments and dressings
  • Soy
  • Lactose
  • Starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn

Because this diet can cause certain vitamin deficiencies, it is important to follow it while under the supervision of a healthcare provider or nutritionist.

3

Gluten-Free Diet

Gluten is a protein found in certain grains such as wheat, barley, and rye. It is well known for causing digestive problems in people with celiac disease, but there is also some evidence that following a gluten-free diet may improve symptoms in people with IBD.

People following a gluten-free diet need to eliminate all foods that contain gluten, including:

  • Bread
  • Cereal
  • Pasta

Many foods can contain gluten, so people following a gluten-free diet need to be diligent about reading labels and understanding the terms used to identify products derived from wheat and other sources of gluten. These can include but are not limited to:

  • Dairy products containing fillers
  • Canned soups and creamed vegetables
  • Processed cheeses and meat
  • Beer and whiskey
4

Lactose-Free Diet

A lactose-free diet could be recommended at any time for those who have (or who are suspected of having) lactose intolerance. Lactose intolerance causes symptoms such as diarrhea, gas, and abdominal pain, which can be difficult to distinguish from the symptoms of IBD.

In addition, it is a common condition. That's why many physicians recommend that patients with IBD or other digestive problems try avoiding milk products for a time, to see if any symptoms resolve.

There are many ways to get calcium and vitamin D in the diet without cow's milk, and a nutritionist or dietician can help formulate an eating plan that doesn't sacrifice vitamins and minerals. 

5

Clear Liquid Diet

Water being poured into a glass

Wladimir Bulgar / Getty Images

A clear liquid diet may be prescribed after abdominal surgery. Often, the first "meal" a patient is allowed a day or two after abdominal surgery contains items found on the clear liquid diet. This is a way of easing the gastrointestinal system into processing food again after the fasting that takes place before and after surgery.

When a patient does well on the clear liquid diet, their diet might be advanced further. After a clear liquid diet, the full liquid diet might be next, followed by soft foods or bland foods.

Patients are usually moved through these diets slowly in order to give the digestive system plenty of time to adjust. It might not be recommended to go right from a liquid diet to a diet of regular solid foods. Some foods included in a clear liquid diet:

  • Tea
  • Coffee
  • Ginger ale
  • Gummy bears
  • Broth
  • Popsicles
  • Gelatin
6

Full Liquid Diet

A full liquid diet may be prescribed after a patient has graduated from the clear liquid diet as the next small step on the way to solid foods and resuming a typical diet. A key difference between the clear liquid diet and the full liquid diet is the addition of liquids and foods that contain milk products or milk alternatives.

For those who are lactose intolerant, this can be especially tricky, as foods containing cow's milk will need to be substituted with non-milk alternatives (such as soy, almond, or coconut). Some foods included on a full liquid diet:

  • All foods on the clear liquid diet
  • Milk (cow, soy, almond)
  • Honey
  • Creamed soups
  • Ice cream
  • Sorbet
  • Frozen yogurt
7

Restricted Fiber Diet

A restricted fiber diet may be recommended in a variety of situations, such as during a flare-up or as the last step before resuming an unrestricted diet after surgery. This diet consists of a variety of foods but emphasizes the restriction of foods that contain a high amount of fiber, such as some vegetables and grains.

Fiber is an important part of the diet, and a low-fiber diet isn't recommended long-term. Even after abdominal surgery, the low-fiber diet should only be used while healing is taking place. People who have had surgery for IBD should, in most cases, be able to add foods back into their diet.

Eating With IBD

Some special diets for IBD are controversial, primarily because they can lead to nutritional deficiencies. Because they are often very restrictive, they can also be hard to follow.

If you have IBD, it is important to be seen by a registered dietitian who specializes in digestive health. They can customize a meal plan that works for you and ensures you are optimizing your nutrients. 

It is also important to keep a food diary so you can track foods that trigger your symptoms. Your triggers may be different than other people with IBD, but in general, pay attention to how you respond to foods that are high in fiber and lactose. You may also react to foods such as:

  • Artificial sweeteners
  • Food and drink with added sugar
  • Foods that are high in fat
  • Spicy foods
  • Alcohol and/or caffeine

Work with your healthcare provider and/or nutritionist to identify your triggers and develop a diet that will both manage your symptoms and provide good nutrition. Be sure to follow up regularly so your healthcare provider or nutritionist can ensure you remain healthy in the long term.

6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Johns Hopkins Medicine. FODMAP diet: What you need to know.

  2. Crohn's & Colitis Foundation. Special IBD diets.

  3. Harringer EOS, Durack J, Piceno Y, Andersen V, Lynch SV. Gluten degradation by the gut microbiota of ulcerative colitis patients. Microorganisms. 2022;11(1):12. doi:10.3390/microorganisms11010012

  4. Harvard Health Publishing. Celiac disease diet: Avoiding foods that contain gluten.

  5. Stanford Health. Clear Liquid Diet Guidelines.

  6. UW Health. Full Liquid Diet.

By Amber J. Tresca
Amber J. Tresca is a freelance writer and speaker who covers digestive conditions, including IBD. She was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at age 16.