Drinks and ulcerative colitis
Coffee, alcohol, soda: the hard questions.
15 drinks on this site, each with a flare verdict, a remission verdict, and the sources behind them. 1 are usually tolerated during a flare and 8 are usually worth avoiding until things settle.
Alcohol
Flare: Usually avoidRemission: Caution
Apple Juice
Flare: Usually avoidRemission: Caution
Beer
Flare: Usually avoidRemission: Caution
Coffee
Flare: Usually avoidRemission: Depends on you
Decaf Coffee
Flare: CautionRemission: Usually OK
Diet Soda
Flare: CautionRemission: Caution
Energy Drinks
Flare: Usually avoidRemission: Caution
Green Tea
Flare: CautionRemission: Usually OK
Kombucha
Flare: Usually avoidRemission: Caution
Orange Juice
Flare: CautionRemission: Usually OK
Smoothies
Flare: Usually OKRemission: Usually OK
Soda
Flare: Usually avoidRemission: Caution
Sports Drinks
Flare: CautionRemission: Usually OK
Tea
Flare: CautionRemission: Usually OK
Wine
Flare: Usually avoidRemission: Caution
All drinks at a glance
Sorted alphabetically. "Usually OK" means most people, most of the time, not a guarantee.
| Food | During a flare | In remission | Why it's on the list |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol | Usually avoid | Caution | gut irritant, diarrhea trigger, medication interaction |
| Apple Juice | Usually avoid | Caution | fructose, sorbitol, high sugar |
| Beer | Usually avoid | Caution | alcohol, carbonation, gut irritant |
| Coffee | Usually avoid | Depends on you | caffeine, gut motility stimulant, acidity |
| Decaf Coffee | Caution | Usually OK | gut motility stimulant, acidity |
| Diet Soda | Caution | Caution | carbonation, artificial sweeteners, caffeine in some |
| Energy Drinks | Usually avoid | Caution | caffeine, carbonation, high sugar |
| Green Tea | Caution | Usually OK | caffeine, polyphenols |
| Kombucha | Usually avoid | Caution | carbonation, fructans FODMAP, trace alcohol |
| Orange Juice | Caution | Usually OK | acidity, sugar content, citrus irritation |
| Smoothies | Usually OK | Usually OK | ingredient dependent, dairy in some, high fiber add ins |
| Soda | Usually avoid | Caution | carbonation, high sugar, caffeine in some |
| Sports Drinks | Caution | Usually OK | added sugar, electrolyte ratio |
| Tea | Caution | Usually OK | caffeine, tannins |
| Wine | Usually avoid | Caution | alcohol, gut irritant |