Leena Watts
If you're experiencing a diverticulitis flare-up, adjusting your diet can help manage your symptoms and speed up recovery. During a flare-up, it's recommended to adopt a low-fibre diet, which includes foods such as white pasta, white bread, and white rice. Doctors may also advise a brief pause from eating and drinking, followed by a few days of consuming only clear liquids. Once the flare-up has subsided, you can gradually reintroduce solid, low-fibre foods. To prevent future diverticulitis attacks, a well-balanced, high-fibre diet is recommended. This includes fibre-rich foods such as whole grains, beans, legumes, and green vegetables. It's important to note that increasing fibre intake can cause gas and bloating, so it's best to introduce high-fibre foods slowly and stay well-hydrated. While specific dietary needs may vary, consulting with a healthcare professional can help determine the right meal plan for managing diverticulitis.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| When diverticulitis flares up | Give your gut a break to ease symptoms |
| Diet during flare-ups | Low-fibre foods, BRAT diet, clear liquids |
| Diet after flare-ups | Gradually transition to a high-fibre diet |
| High-fibre foods | Whole grains, beans and legumes, vegetables |
| Preventing flare-ups | Prevent inflammation, build an eating plan |
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What You'll Learn
During a flare-up, a clear liquid diet is recommended
A clear liquid diet is often recommended during a diverticulitis flare-up to reduce inflammation and symptom severity. This diet typically lasts for a few days and involves consuming only clear liquids, such as clear broths, tea, and coffee without milk, pulp-free juices, clear sports drinks or sodas, and plain water. This approach helps to reduce activity in the gastrointestinal tract, allowing the intestines to rest and recover.
It is important to note that a clear liquid diet should not be followed long-term, as it can lead to malnutrition. After the initial clear liquid diet period, it is common to transition to a low-fiber diet. This typically includes bland, easy-to-digest foods such as white pasta, white bread, white rice, and saltines. These foods are part of the BRAT diet, which has been suggested to help control diverticulitis flare-ups. However, it is important to be mindful that this diet is very low in nutrients, so it should not be followed for an extended period.
During a diverticulitis flare-up, it is generally recommended to avoid high-fiber foods, as they can be more difficult to digest and may worsen symptoms. High-fiber foods include whole grains, beans, legumes, and certain vegetables. While increasing fiber intake is typically recommended to prevent diverticulitis flare-ups, it can make symptoms worse during an active flare-up. Therefore, it is crucial to adjust your diet based on your condition and always consult with a healthcare professional for personalized advice.
In addition to dietary modifications, rest and antibiotics may be recommended during a diverticulitis flare-up. It is important to work closely with your healthcare provider to determine the most appropriate treatment plan for your specific needs. They may advise a temporary hold on oral intake, also known as a bowel rest, before progressing to a clear liquid and then a low-fiber diet. As symptoms improve, a gradual reintroduction of solid, low-fiber foods is typically suggested.
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A low-fibre diet can help manage symptoms
While a high-fibre diet is recommended to prevent diverticulitis flare-ups, it can worsen symptoms during an attack. This is because fibre is difficult to digest, and during a flare-up, you want to "reduce traffic in your gastrointestinal tract so that nothing else irritates" the inflamed pouches in the intestinal wall.
During a diverticulitis flare-up, doctors usually recommend first taking a brief pause from eating and drinking, then adopting a diet of only clear liquids for a few days. As your symptoms improve, you can gradually add low-fibre foods to your diet. A low-fibre diet limits fibre intake to between 8 and 12 grams of fibre, depending on the severity of the flare-up.
Low-fibre foods include white pasta, white bread, white rice, and white crackers. Other foods that may be part of a low-fibre diet include saltines, oatmeal, and potatoes. This meal plan is very low in nutrients, so it should not be followed for long.
Once a diverticulitis attack is under control, eating high-fibre foods can help prevent future flare-ups. It is important to increase your fibre intake gradually and stay well-hydrated.
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High-fibre foods can help prevent diverticulitis
While it's important to eat low-fibre foods during a diverticulitis flare-up, eating a well-balanced diet with plenty of high-fibre foods can help prevent future attacks. Melinda Cater, a dietitian at Sibley Memorial Hospital, says that a healthy diet full of fibre-rich foods can help lower the risk of diverticulosis, which can lead to diverticulitis.
Cater recommends that people with diverticulosis eat fibre-rich foods such as whole grains (quinoa, bulgur, teff, barley, popcorn, oats, shredded wheat, bran cereals, and whole grain breads), beans and legumes (black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, and lentils), and vegetables (greens such as collard, kale, and spinach, as well as broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots).
It's important to note that increasing your fibre intake can make you feel gassy and bloated, so it's recommended to start slowly and build your way up. Drinking plenty of water every day can help with the transition to a high-fibre diet, as fibre needs water to work. Staying well-hydrated is essential for keeping your bowels healthy and functioning.
According to Cater, following a high-fibre diet has other health advantages in addition to helping prevent diverticular flare-ups. While it's important to consult with a healthcare professional to plan meals with the right amount of fibre for your specific needs, increasing your fibre intake gradually can help prevent diverticulitis and improve your overall health.
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The BRAT diet may help control flare-ups
The BRAT diet is a two-phase diet used to treat a Diverticulitis flare. The BRAT diet includes foods that are bland enough to not further disrupt a Diverticulitis flare or worsen the symptoms. During the first phase, only clear liquids are permitted. Once the symptoms start to improve, you can move on to the second phase, which includes the BRAT diet.
The BRAT diet includes foods that are soft, bland, and easy to digest. The acronym stands for bananas, rice, apples, and toast, which are the traditionally "allowed" foods. The diet has been liberalized since its conception and now includes a broader range of foods.
The BRAT diet now includes soft fruits like bananas, applesauce, pumpkin, canned fruit packed in water, and melons. It also includes steamed, boiled, or canned vegetables such as carrots, green beans, potatoes, and squash. Low-fiber starches such as white bread, white rice, saltine crackers, and boiled noodles are also part of the diet.
For proteins, the BRAT diet recommends unseasoned skinless lean proteins like chicken, turkey, scrambled eggs, yogurt, and kefir. This diet also includes drinks like bone broth, apple juice, coconut water, tea, and water.
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Stay hydrated to aid a high-fibre diet
When experiencing a diverticulitis flare-up, it is recommended to give your digestive system a break by adopting a liquid diet for a few days. As symptoms improve, you can gradually introduce low-fiber foods. However, once the flare-up is under control, a well-balanced, high-fibre diet can help prevent future attacks.
Transitioning to a high-fibre diet can cause some bloating and gas, so it is important to increase your fibre intake gradually. Staying well-hydrated is crucial during this transition, as fibre needs water to work effectively. Melinda Cater, a dietitian at Sibley Memorial Hospital, recommends the following formula for adequate hydration:
> "The number of ounces I recommend is about half the person’s body weight in pounds."
For example, an individual weighing 180 pounds should aim for about 90 ounces of water per day. This amount of water is essential for maintaining healthy and functioning bowels.
In addition to water, clear and pulp-free liquids are recommended during a diverticulitis flare-up. These can include clear broths, tea and coffee without milk, clear juices, and clear sports drinks or sodas. Staying hydrated with these liquids can help support your digestive system during a flare-up and aid in the transition to a high-fibre diet for prevention.
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Frequently asked questions
Diverticulitis occurs when pouches in the intestines, called diverticula, become infected or inflamed.
During a flare-up, it is recommended to avoid solid foods and adopt a diet of clear liquids and low-fiber foods. This includes clear broths, tea and coffee without milk, clear juices, sports drinks, sodas, and water.
Low-fiber foods include white pasta, white bread, white rice, and white crackers.
When diverticulitis is under control, a well-balanced, high-fiber diet can help prevent future flare-ups. Fiber-rich foods include whole grains (quinoa, bulgur, barley, etc.), beans and legumes, and green vegetables.
Yes, it is important to talk to your doctor or a dietitian to plan meals with the right amount of fiber for you. They may recommend increasing your fiber intake gradually so your body can adjust.
