Diverticulitis is a painful infection in the lower digestive tract. Eating a low-fiber diet during the healing process can be helpful. 

Some people have diverticulosis, which means they have polyps in their large intestine. If these polyps become infected and inflamed, it's called diverticulitis. Many people with diverticulosis don't experience symptoms, so they might not know about it until they are diagnosed with diverticulitis.

Causes and Symptoms of Diverticulitis

Diverticulitis arises when bacteria get stuck in the polyps, causing infection. Often, bacteria enters polyps when hardened stool (poop) becomes stuck there.

“It may be surprising to learn that small pouches formed along your colon wall,” says gastroenterologist, Daniel Sedhom, M.D. “Straining to defecate puts pressure on weak spots in the colon, where diverticula form.”

Doctors recommend a high-fiber diet for diverticulosis to lower the risk of diverticulitis. Fiber helps stool pass through the intestines more easily, discouraging it from getting stuck.

People with diverticulitis may experience symptoms like:

• Abdominal pain or cramping
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fever
• Constipation
• Bloating
• Diarrhea
• Blood in the stool
  
  

How Diverticulitis is Treated

After doctors diagnose diverticulitis, they prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection. Doctors also recommend that patients change their eating habits until they recover.

In rare cases, complicated diverticulitis may require a nonsurgical procedure or surgery. But for most patients with diverticulitis, dietary changes plus antibiotics are all that’s needed.

During a diverticulitis flare, a low-fiber diet eases symptoms and encourages healing.

“By following a specific diet, you’ll allow your colon to recover more easily,” says Dr. Sedhom. “Avoiding high-fiber foods results in less bulk passing through the colon.”

You won’t be required to follow a diverticulitis diet for very long. A diverticulitis flare-up should improve in about a week. 

How to Follow a Diverticulitis Diet

When your doctor diagnoses diverticulitis, follow their specific advice about what to eat. Most doctors recommend liquids at first, then low-fiber foods. 

For the first couple of days, your doctor may recommend clear liquids only. Milk, plus anything with pulp, like orange juice, are off limits.

Clear liquids that you may have during a diverticulitis flare include:

• Water
• Chicken broth, beef broth or vegetable broth
• Apple juice, cranberry juice, grape juice or other pulp-free juices
• Gelatin
• Non-dairy frozen pops that don’t contain fruit pieces
• Coffee or tea without milk or cream

After a few days, your doctor will advise you to eat soft, low-fiber foods. These foods will be gentle on your colon as they pass through.

Choose from these foods when planning out meals while recovering from diverticulitis:

• Canned or cooked fruit without the skin
• Canned or cooked vegetables, like carrots green beans and squash
• Cooked potatoes without the skin
• Pasta
• White rice
• White bread
• Low-fiber breakfast cereals
• Cooked eggs
• Tofu
• Fish
• Creamy peanut butter or other nut butters
• Dairy products (milk, yogurt and cheese)
• Ground or shredded chicken, pork or beef

Within a week of treatment with antibiotics, diverticulitis usually improves. With your doctor’s blessing, you may resume eating your usual diet.

How to Eat When Diverticulitis Improves

People who have diverticulitis may experience flares from time to time. To reduce the risk of diverticulitis flare-ups, eat a high-fiber diet.

These high-fiber foods are ideal for diverticulosis, to reduce the risk of diverticulitis:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables with the skin on
• Whole-grain bread and cereal
• Brown rice
• Whole wheat pasta
• Beans

In the past, doctors told patients who had diverticulitis to avoid certain foods. After recovery, doctors recommended against them, to limit flare-ups.

The previously restricted foods were high in fiber. They include:

• Nuts
• Popcorn
• Sunflower seeds
• Pumpkin seeds
• Foods containing sesame, poppy or caraway seeds
• Fresh tomatoes
• Fruits containing seeds, like strawberries and raspberries
• Vegetables containing seeds, like cucumbers and zucchini
  
  

Today, doctors allow patients with diverticulosis to eat these foods, if they enjoy them. If one food causes diverticulitis flares, stop eating it and tell your doctor.

“For the most part, people who recover from diverticulitis can enjoy nuts and seeds,” Dr. Sedhom says. “These foods make it easier to get enough fiber in the diet.”

Next Steps & Resources:

• Meet our source: Daniel Sedhom, M.D.
• To make an appointment with Dr. Sedhom, or a doctor near you, call 800-822-8905 or visit our website. 

The material provided through HealthU is intended to be used as general information only and should not replace the advice of your physician. Always consult your physician for individual care.