It’s Not What You Eat, It’s What You Keep
Why your kale salad, protein shake, or pricey vitamin might not be doing the job you think it is.
Let’s play pretend. Imagine you order a fancy latte from the new café everyone’s raving about. You’re excited—it’s got all the buzzwords: single-origin beans, house-made oat milk, just the right dusting of cinnamon. You take a sip… and it’s hot water. No espresso, no milk, no froth. All style, zero substance.
That’s what poor nutrient absorption feels like. You’re “drinking the coffee” (eating the food), but your body isn’t actually getting the good stuff.
Most of us assume that once food goes in, the body takes care of the rest. Bite, chew, swallow—fuel delivered. But the reality is, it’s not always that seamless. Stress, gut inflammation, and conditions like ulcerative colitis (UC) can completely derail the process. Suddenly, you’re eating all the right things and still running on fumes.
Absorption, Explained Like You’re Five (No Offense)
Here’s the kindergarten version: your gut is like a sponge.
Food breaks down into teeny-tiny pieces—vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats—and that sponge is supposed to soak them up and send them wherever your body needs them. Energy, repair, hormone balance—it all starts there.
But what happens if the sponge is torn, swollen, or wrung out too fast? You guessed it: nothing much gets soaked in. You can pour water over it all day long, but it just runs off the surface.
That’s absorption in a nutshell.
What a UC Flare Looks Like
Now, let’s zoom in on UC as the case study. During a flare, the sponge (aka your colon) is inflamed and cranky. Instead of calmly absorbing nutrients, it’s leaking, rushing, and throwing a full-on tantrum.
Common nutrient losses look like this:
Iron (hello fatigue)
Vitamin D (bye-bye bone strength)
B12 & Folate (energy vampires)
Magnesium & Zinc (good luck with muscles, mood, and healing without these)
The translation? You can eat the rainbow, but your body might only hold onto the beige.
What About Remission?
When UC finally calms down, the sponge works better. The leaks stop, things slow down, and absorption improves. But here’s the kicker: just because the fire’s out doesn’t mean the pantry is magically restocked.
Your body may still be running low from the last flare. Think of it like a bank account. If you’ve been withdrawing nutrients faster than you’ve been depositing them, you can’t swipe your card the day after a flare and expect your balance to bounce back. It takes time, patience, and intentional deposits to rebuild.
Why This Matters Even If You Don’t Have UC
Here’s the twist: you don’t need a scary diagnosis to struggle with absorption.
Think about it. Ever taken vitamins faithfully, only to have your labs come back low anyway? That’s not wasted effort—it’s a sign your body isn’t absorbing the goods. Or maybe you’ve had a season of nonstop stress and felt bone-deep fatigue no matter how many green smoothies you crammed in. Stress alone can shut down parts of your digestive process, leaving nutrients stranded instead of absorbed.
Even food trends play into this. Raw kale salads every day might look virtuous on Instagram, but your gut may prefer those greens sautéed so it can actually pull out the iron and calcium. Absorption isn’t about how “healthy” your food looks on the plate—it’s about what your body can keep and use.
That’s the bigger lesson UC shines a light on for all of us: true nourishment isn’t just about what you eat. It’s about what makes it through.
How to Support Absorption (UC or Not)
Slow down: Digestion starts in the mouth. Chew like you mean it.
Pick nutrient-dense foods: Small bites, big returns. Think salmon, avocado, sweet potatoes, eggs, or bone broth (all nutrient-rich without being overly demanding on digestion).
Consider the form: Sometimes liquids, powders absorb better. Think smoothies, blended soups, or protein powders can go down easier than raw veggies or heavy meats.
Check in: Labs don’t lie. They tell you what’s missing so you’re not guessing in the dark.
The Truth
Food is meant to be fuel, joy, and connection—not a math problem. But here’s the kicker: health isn’t only about what you eat—it’s about what you absorb.
That’s the quiet truth UC makes loud—and one worth remembering whether or not you live with it. Because your plate can be flawless, but if your body can’t make use of it, the energy, focus, and vitality you’re chasing will stay just out of reach.
Nourishment isn’t just what’s on the plate. It’s what gets through. And you? You deserve every bit of it.