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.
High-fiber foods include: Beans and legumes. Bran, whole wheat bread and whole grain cereals such as oatmeal. Brown and wild rice.
But in general, these foods tend to be easy on the intestines of people with diverticulitis. Whole grain carbohydrates: If cereals and rice are tough for you to digest, try instant oatmeal, pasta or noodles, and whole wheat bread, muffins, or wraps.
Cereals and baked products:
Wholemeal pasta. Brown rice. Wholegrain cereals, eg Weetabix, All-Bran, porridge, muesli and any cereal with added nuts and/or dried fruit. Digestives, flapjack, biscuits containing nuts or dried fruit, eg fig rolls, Garibaldi.
A 2021 review linked a diet high in fiber with a lower risk of diverticulitis or hospitalization from diverticular disease. The review noted that fiber from fruits and cereal had a protective effect and diverticular disease, but vegetable fiber did not.
Can you eat oatmeal with diverticulitis? 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.
Stay with liquids or a bland diet (plain rice, bananas, dry toast or crackers, applesauce) until you are feeling better. Then you can return to regular foods and slowly increase the amount of fibre in your diet. Use a heating pad set on low on your belly to relieve mild cramps and pain.
According to research, a low FODMAP diet may help prevent high pressure in the colon, thus preventing or correcting diverticulitis. You should avoid the following foods: certain fruits, such as pears, apples and plums. dairy foods, such as milk, yogurt, and ice cream.
Mild diverticulitis infection may be treated with bed rest, stool softeners, a liquid diet, antibiotics to fight the infection, and possibly antispasmodic drugs.
Cereals: Cheerios, Cornflakes, Cream of Wheat, cream of rice, Just Right, puffed rice, Rice Krispies, Special K (or any cold breakfast cereal with less than 2 g of fibre per serving)
During acute attacks of diverticulitis, eat a low-fiber diet. Avoid foods that may contribute to nausea or pain, such as caffeine, spicy foods, chocolate, and milk products.
Eat a low-fiber diet. Your healthcare provider may advise a liquid diet. This gives your bowel a chance to rest so that it can recover. Foods to include: flake cereal, mashed potatoes, pancakes, waffles, pasta, white bread, rice, applesauce, bananas, eggs, fish, poultry, tofu, and well-cooked 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.
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.
For decades, doctors recommended that people with diverticulitis avoid eating foods such as rice, corn, nuts, seeds, popcorn, beans and most raw fruits and vegetable skins because they believed the tiny particles from these foods may get lodged in the pouches and lead to an infection.
The doctor also may suggest taking a fiber product, such as Citrucel® or Metamucil®, once a day. Your doctor may recommend a low- or high-fiber diet depending on your condition. Listed below are high-fiber food options for diverticulosis and low-fiber food options for diverticulitis.
The best sources of fiber include fresh fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, corn, and foods containing wheat bran. If you have trouble getting enough fiber in your diet, a fiber supplement like Benefiber or Metamucil can help. "A tablespoon of any of these adds about 5 to 6 grams of fiber to your diet," says Dr. Goldberg.
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.
High fiber vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, and artichokes are high in fiber and can be difficult to digest. Eating them may cause gas and bloating. People with diverticulitis may not digest lactose well.
Foods to Include:
Plain cereals e.g. Cheerios, Cornflakes, Cream of Wheat, Rice Krispies, Special K. Tea biscuits, arrowroot cookies, soda crackers, graham crackers, plain melba toast. Corn and flour tortillas, cornbread. White rice, refined pasta and noodles.
No-Foods. Cereals: low fiber cereals (<6g fiber per serving) Special K, Rice Krispies, Corn Flakes, sweetened sugary cereals – Honey Nut Cheerios, Frosted Flakes, etc.
Your doctor can usually treat diverticulitis with a special diet, plenty of rest, and, in some cases, antibiotic medica- tions. Once treated, most people start feeling better within a few days. Approximately 20% of patients will have another flare-up, or recurrence. This usually happens within 5 years.