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.
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.
Brown rice is rich in fibre. It is easy to digest and it calms the inflammation and spasms that occur in the colon. Replace your regular white rice with brown rice.
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.
Eating a high-fibre diet may help ease the symptoms of diverticular disease and stop you developing diverticulitis. Generally, adults should aim to eat 30g of fibre a day. Good sources of fibre include fresh and dried fruits, vegetables, beans and pulses, nuts, cereals and starchy foods.
Diet for Diverticulosis
High-fiber foods include: Beans and legumes. Bran, whole wheat bread and whole grain cereals such as oatmeal.
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.
Low-Fiber Diet
Grains – White pasta, white bread, white rice, and white crackers are good low-fiber options. Starches with low fiber – You can eat potatoes as long as the skin is peeled away. The potatoes can be mashed, roasted, or baked.
Stay with liquids or a bland diet (plain rice, bananas, dry toast or crackers, applesauce) until you are feeling better.
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.
Eggs contain protein that can be easily digested, and it will not irritate your digestive tract. Therefore, scrambled eggs can be taken during diverticulitis.
Strained fruit and vegetable juice (little to no pulp) Butter, margarine, and vegetable oils. Eggs, chicken, turkey, fish, and tofu. Low-fat dairy products (if tolerated)
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.
“Eggs are a great source of protein, and they're easily digested,” Dr. Nazarian says. And they won't irritate your diverticula.
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.
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.
It's also OK to eat small fruits with seeds, such as strawberries and blueberries. Research has found that these foods are not associated with an increased diverticulitis risk.
Several drugs are associated with an increased risk of diverticulitis, including steroids, opioids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and naproxen sodium (Aleve).
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.
You can add vegetables to the foods that you are eating or have soup, salad or cooked vegetables on the side; Increasing your fiber intake slowly; And taking in enough fluids along with the high fiber foods. Go for water, seltzer, club soda, and herbal teas.
Mild cases of diverticulitis are usually treated with antibiotics and a low-fiber diet, or treatment may start with a period of rest where you eat nothing by mouth, then start with clear liquids and then move to a low-fiber diet until your condition improves. More-severe cases typically require hospitalization.
Diverticulitis is caused by an infection of one or more of the diverticula. It is thought an infection develops when a hard piece of stool or undigested food gets trapped in one of the pouches. This gives bacteria in the stool the chance to multiply and spread, triggering an infection.
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.