Eating a high-fiber diet helps improve gut health and lessen diverticulitis flare-ups. Changing to simpler-to-digest foods during diverticulitis may help reduce symptoms.
Highlights
- Diverticulitis is a disease in which the intestinal walls of a human body get inflamed and according to statistics, elderly people get more infected because of this disease.
- In the flare-ups of diverticulitis, experts suggest the use of a high-fiber diet, however when there is an acute case of diverticulitis you may get a diet plan based on a low-fiber and absolute liquid diet.
About Diverticulitis
The term used by doctors to describe diverticula is diverticulosis. When they inflame or become infected, it is referred to as diverticulitis.
Diverticula form when pressure on weak places in the intestinal wall causes them to give way and protrude out in parts.
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, 58 persons over 60 age are seen to have diverticulosis.
But diverticulitis is not common. Only less than 5% of this population will be having the stage of diverticulitis.
What Foods should you Eat with Diverticulitis?
The doctors suggest in these scenarios to manage the symptoms through the best possible dietary modifications.
1. Take Low Fiber Foods
Excessive fiber consumption (more than 50 g per day) has been linked in certain studies to diverticular illness, possibly via producing constipation.
Be careful to drink as much water as you ingest fiber because fiber causes feces to become thicker. The recommended daily intake of dietary fiber for adult males is between 30 and 38 g, whereas it is between 21 and 25 g for adult females.
You get two kinds of fiber from the food you eat naturally:
- Fibers that are soluble
- Fibers that are insoluble
To facilitate easy passage through the colon, soluble fiber breaks down in the water to generate a gel-like substance that softens and expands feces.
To help the transit of waste through the digestive tract, insoluble fiber absorbs water and increases stool volume. In most plant-based diets, soluble and insoluble fiber are included. The amount of one type of fiber in particular meals differs from that in others.
If you have diverticulitis symptoms, you should think about consuming low-fiber meals like:
- Dry and low-fiber cereals
- Potatoes without the skin
- Beets and Carrots
- Processed fruits
- Cooked animal proteins
- Olive oil
- Pumpkin without seeds
- Cooked spinach and asparagus
- Fruit and Vegetable juices
Pro Tip – If you are gluten intolerant, stay away from these foods.
2. Try the Absolute Liquid Diet
In order to treat the symptoms of diverticulitis, a clear liquid diet is a more stringent strategy. For a brief time, your doctor might advise it. Because you might be having an infection in your colon or rectum and stool can aggravate the situation further.
So when the diet will be taken in liquid, it will stop the poop timely until your situation gets better. Typical components of a clear liquid diet are:
- Ice chips
- Water
- Clear electrolyte drinks
- Soup stock or broth
- Gelatin, such as Jell-O
- Unsweetened tea or coffee
- Soup broth or stock
Drinking enough water daily is beneficial whether you’re following a clear liquid diet or not.
This promotes your gut health and keeps you hydrated. You may book an appointment with a nutritionist to get a more specific diet plan for diverticulitis.
You may read – Hypothyroidism Diet Plan: Best Foods for Thyroid Patients
What Foods should you Avoid with Diverticulitis?
Diverticulitis or diverticulosis, however, some medical professionals no longer think that you need to avoid specific foods. Nevertheless, each patient is treated differently for diverticulitis.
Some people may find that avoiding certain food helps. Some doctors still recommend a clear liquid diet during mild flare-ups.
1. Do not Consume High FODMAP Foods
Eating FODMAP foods for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can be highly beneficial for many people. Diverticulitis sufferers can potentially benefit from it.
A class of carbohydrates is a FODMAP. It stands for monosaccharides, polyols, oligosaccharides, and fermentable disaccharides. Diverticulitis may be prevented or managed by adhering to a low FODMAP diet since it reduces intestinal pressure, claim some specialists.
People on this diet stay away from foods that are rich in FODMAPS. Among them are foods like:
- Pears, Plums
- Milk, Yogurt, and Ice cream
- Fermented foods
- Beans and Legumes
- Trans-fat-rich Foods
- Cabbage, Onions, and Garlic
2. Try not to take Processed Meat and Foods High in Sugar and Fat
One of the studies published in 2018 showed that those who are consuming a lot of red and processed meat are at a higher risk of getting diverticulitis.
But you may overcome this risk with the help of eating fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
On the other hand, foods that are low in fiber and high in fat and sugar are becoming major contributors to this disease.
The lesser intake of the following meals may help prevent diverticulitis or lessen its symptoms, according to a 2017 study including more than 46,000 male participants:
- Full-fat dairy products
- Refined grains
- Fried foods
Read more at – Common Foods to Avoid with Diverticulitis- How to Manage it?
Some simple steps to help prevent Diverticulitis
To prevent diverticulitis, adopt the following behaviors:
- Maintain a healthy body weight
- Avoid the use of NSAIDs
- Avoid smoking
- Exercise regularly
- Listen to bowel cues
- Consume moderate amounts of red meat
Diverticulitis can be avoided in large part through proper diet. For more queries about the diet plan, you may take a consultation from a nutritionist through Marham.
FAQs
1. What is a good breakfast with diverticulitis?
For a few hours to a day, don’t eat anything. Start including apple juice, broth, ice pops, jelly, and water for a few days. Add yogurt, applesauce, rice, bananas, and skinless fruit after you start to feel better.
2. What are the symptoms of diverticulitis?
Diverticulitis’ warning signs and symptoms include pain, vomiting, nausea, fever, diarrhea, and tenderness in the abdomen.
3. Is too much fiber a bad thing when it comes to diverticulitis?
Fiber can increase your stool’s bulk so it can make the condition of diverticulitis more complicated. So the excessive intake of fiber is not recommended.