Oatmeal is a great source of fiber – which is important for patients with diverticulitis or diverticulosis. But be sure to avoid eating high-fiber foods while experiencing a flare-up or abdominal discomfort.
Diet for Diverticulosis
It also can help decrease pressure in the colon and help prevent flare-ups of diverticulitis. High-fiber foods include: Beans and legumes. Bran, whole wheat bread and whole grain cereals such as oatmeal.
Certain low-fiber cereals also get a thumbs-up, including corn flakes and puffed rice cereal. Proteins: Choose eggs and egg whites, tofu, and meat or seafood. “It should be tender, so shredded chicken, lean ground beef and soft baked fish work best.”
If your diet is currently low in fibre then it is advisable to increase fibre gradually; aim to introduce 1-2 new high fibre foods per week. It is recommended that adults aim for 30g of fibre a day. Foods High in Fibre: Weetabix®, Bran flakes, All Bran, Fruit & Fibre, porridge, muesli, Shredded Wheat.
Stay with liquids or a bland diet (plain rice, bananas, dry toast or crackers, applesauce) until you are feeling better.
Eggs contain protein that can be easily digested, and it will not irritate your digestive tract. Therefore, scrambled eggs can be taken during diverticulitis.
Actually, no specific foods are known to trigger diverticulitis attacks. And no special diet has been proved to prevent attacks. In the past, people with small pouches (diverticula) in the lining of the colon were told to avoid nuts, seeds and popcorn.
You may have heard advice that people with diverticular disease should avoid small, sharp and hard foods such as nuts, seeds and corn. The thinking is that there is a risk of undigested remnants of these foods lodging in the diverticula and causing inflammation.
Canned and well-cooked vegetables without skins or seeds, and vegetable juice. Cow's milk, lactose-free milk, soy milk, and rice milk.
“Eggs are a great source of protein, and they're easily digested,” Dr. Nazarian says. And they won't irritate your diverticula.
Plus, probiotics have anti-inflammatory effects, which may help to ease inflammation from diverticulitis. Probiotics are available in supplement form, but they can also be found in certain foods, such as yogurt, kombucha, and fermented vegetables.
If you are having a flare-up, your doctor may put you on a low-fiber or clear liquid diet for a time to give your digestive system a chance to rest and heal. Some low-fiber foods to consider during a flare-up include: White bread, white rice or white pasta. Processed fruit like applesauce or canned peaches.
Your healthcare provider may advise a liquid diet. This gives your bowel a chance to rest so that it can recover. Include these foods: flake cereal, mashed potatoes, pancakes, waffles, pasta, white bread, rice, applesauce, bananas, eggs, fish, poultry, tofu, and well-cooked vegetables.
Soluble fibre is partially digested (broken down) in the large intestine to form a glue like substance, which helps to produce soft/formed stools, without causing inflammation. Examples of foods rich in soluble fibre are: Oats e.g. Porridge oats/Ready Brek ®, oatcakes.
Every time you eat a bowl of oats, they get busy feeding your body fiber, and fiber can help keep things moving through your colons and intestines. And that's great – because you definitely want to make sure that colon is chugging along.
Diverticulosis: What to Eat. Cater says people with diverticulosis can benefit from eating fiber-rich foods, including: Whole grains, such as quinoa, bulgur, teff, barley, popcorn, oats, shredded wheat or bran cereals, and whole grain breads. Beans and legumes, including black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas and lentils.
There are no specific foods you need to avoid. You do not need to avoid any foods such as nuts, seeds, corn, popcorn or tomatoes if you have diverticular disease. These foods do not make diverticular disease worse. These foods may even help prevent it because they are high fibre choices.
Diverticulitis is an intestinal disease that can cause fatigue in some people. The fatigue may be caused by infection, inflammation, or sleep disruption due to pain. It could also be related to nutritional deficiencies such as anemia, dehydration, medication side effects, or surgery.
The diverticulitis flare will usually go away after four to six weeks, Doerfler says. At that point, you can start eating higher-fiber foods like whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and healthy fats like nuts, seeds, avocado, and olive oil.
Fresh fruits, like apples, have the most fiber when eaten with the skin. 13 However, if you're having symptoms of diverticulitis, look for lower-fiber options, like applesauce. Bananas are another good source of fruit fiber.