Diverticulitis diet

By Mayo Clinic Staff
Definition

A diverticulitis diet is something your doctor might recommend as part of a treatment plan for a mild case of acute diverticulitis.

Diverticulitis occurs when small, bulging pouches (diverticula) in your digestive tract become infected and inflamed. Mild cases are usually treated with antibiotics and a diverticulitis diet, which includes clear liquids and low-fiber foods. More severe cases typically require hospitalization.

Purpose

A diverticulitis diet can't treat or prevent diverticulitis. Rather, it's intended to give your digestive system a chance to rest. A diverticulitis diet is typically recommended along with antibiotics for mild or uncomplicated cases of diverticulitis.

Diet details

A diverticulitis diet starts with only clear liquids for a few days. Examples of beverages allowed on a clear liquid diet include:

• Broth
• Fruit juices without pulp, such as apple juice
• Ice chips
• Ice pops without bits of fruit or fruit pulp
• Gelatin
• Water
• Tea or coffee without cream

As you start feeling better, your doctor will recommend that you slowly add low-fiber foods. Examples of low-fiber foods include:

• Canned or cooked fruits without skin or seeds
• Canned or cooked vegetables such as green beans, peas and potatoes (without the skin)
• Eggs, fish and poultry
• Refined white bread
• Fruit juice with little or no pulp
• Low-fiber cereals
• Milk, yogurt and cheese
• White rice, pasta and noodles

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Diverticulitis Diet

Sometimes, especially as they get older, people can develop little bulging pouches in the lining of the large intestine. These are called diverticula, and the condition is known as diet for diverticulitis.

When the pouches become inflamed or infected, it leads to a sometimes very painful condition called diverticulitis. In addition to having abdominal pain, people with diverticulitis may experience nausea, vomiting, bloating, fever, constipation, or diarrhea.

Many experts believe that a low-fiber diet can lead to diverticulosis and diet for diverticulitis. This may be why people in Asia and Africa, where the diet tends to be higher in fiber, have a very low incidence of the condition.

Diverticulosis usually causes no or few symptoms; leaving many people unaware that they even have diverticula present.

Diverticulitis may need to be treated with antibiotics or, in severe cases, surgery.

Diet for Diverticulitis

If you're experiencing severe symptoms from diverticulitis, your doctor may recommend a liquid diverticulitis diet as part of your treatment, which can include:

• Water
• Fruit juices
• Broth
• Ice pops

Gradually you can ease back into a regular diet. Your doctor may advise you to start with low-fiber foods (white bread, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products) before introducing high-fiber foods.

Fiber softens and adds bulk to stools, helping them pass more easily through the colon. It also reduces pressure in the digestive tract.

Many studies show that eating fiber-rich foods can help control diverticular symptoms. Try to eat at least 25-35 grams of fiber a day.

Here are a few fiber-rich foods to include in meals:

• Whole-grain breads, pastas, and cereals
• Beans (kidney beans and black beans, for example)
• Fresh fruits (apples, pears, prunes)
• Vegetables (squash, potatoes, peas, spinach)

If you're having difficulty structuring a diet on your own, consult your doctor or a dietitian. They can set up a meal plan that works for you.

Your doctor may also recommend a fiber supplement, such as psyllium (Metamucil) or methylcellulose (Citrucel) one to three times a day. Drinking enough water and other fluids throughout the day will also help prevent constipation.

Foods to Avoid With diet for diverticulitis

In the past, doctors had recommended that people with diverticular disease (diverticulosis or diverticulitis) avoid hard-to-digest foods such as nuts, corn, popcorn, and seeds, for fear that these foods would get stuck in the diverticula and lead to inflammation. However, recent research has noted that there is no real scientific evidence to back up this recommendation.

In fact, nuts and seeds are components of many high-fiber foods, which are recommended for people with diverticular disease.

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Diverticulitis diet

Definition

A diverticulitis diet is something your doctor might recommend as part of a treatment plan for a mild case of acute diverticulitis.

Diverticulitis occurs when small, bulging pouches (diverticula) in your digestive tract become infected and inflamed. Mild cases are usually treated with antibiotics and a diverticulitis diet, which includes clear liquids and low-fiber foods. More severe cases typically require hospitalization.

Purpose

A diverticulitis diet can't treat or prevent diverticulitis. Rather, it's intended to give your digestive system a chance to rest. A diverticulitis diet is typically recommended along with antibiotics for mild or uncomplicated cases of diverticulitis.

Diet details

A diverticulitis diet starts with only clear liquids for a few days. Examples of beverages allowed on a clear liquid diet include:

• Broth
• Fruit juices without pulp, such as apple juice
• Ice chips
• Ice pops without bits of fruit or fruit pulp
• Gelatin
• Water
• Tea or coffee without cream

As you start feeling better, your doctor will recommend that you slowly add low-fiber foods. Examples of low-fiber foods include:

• Canned or cooked fruits without skin or seeds
• Canned or cooked vegetables such as green beans, peas and potatoes (without the skin)
• Eggs, fish and poultry
• Refined white bread
• Fruit juice with little or no pulp
• Low-fiber cereals
• Milk, yogurt and cheese
• White rice, pasta and noodles

Results

You should feel better within two or three days of starting the diet and antibiotics.

If you haven't started feeling better by then, call your doctor. You should also contact your doctor if:

• You develop a fever
• Your abdominal pain is worsening
• You're unable to keep clear liquids down

These may indicate a complication that requires hospitalization.

Risks

The diverticulitis diet has few risks. However, continuing a clear liquid diet for more than a few days can lead to weakness and other complications, since it doesn't provide enough of the nutrients your body needs. For this reason, your doctor will want you to transition back to a normal diet as soon as you can tolerate it.

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