Can I eat cookies with ulcerative colitis?
During a flare: CautionIn remission: Usually OK
Plain cookies made with refined flour are lower in fiber, which is why simple sweet biscuits (rich tea, shortbread, malted milk) are grouped among permitted treats in low-residue diet guidance. Sugar and butter content can still add up, and versions with nuts, oats, or dried fruit bring back fiber and texture concerns.
During a flare
Plain, simple cookies are commonly better tolerated during flares than those packed with nuts, oats, or dried fruit.
In remission
Most people tolerate cookies in moderation in remission; portion size and mix-ins matter more than the cookie base itself.
Ways to make it gentler
- choose plain varieties over those with nuts, seeds, or dried fruit
- keep portions modest
Safer swaps
plain shortbread · vanilla wafers
Sources
- Low-residue diet — The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- A high-sugar diet rapidly enhances susceptibility to colitis via depletion of luminal short-chain fatty acids in mice — PMC
Last checked 2026-08-12
