What should be considered in the diet?
What exactly the right diet for diverticulitis looks like depends on the stage of the disease and should therefore always be discussed with the doctor. In the acute inflammatory phase, it is important to eat a diet low in fiber and light in weight that does not put additional strain on the intestines. When the inflammation subsides, on the other hand, a high-fiber diet is necessary to prevent further inflammation.
In the case of acute diverticulitis – i.e. painfully inflamed diverticula – it is first of all important to relieve the bowel as much as possible. In some cases, it makes sense to completely avoid solid food for a few days in parallel with antibiotic therapy.
Many doctors now advise against abstaining from food, i.e. not eating at all. However, this must be decided on a case-by-case basis.
Even in the case of uncomplicated diverticulitis treated on an outpatient basis, the focus is on relieving the bowel. Mild courses of diverticulitis are often initially treated with liquid food and a light diet, but in some cases a normal diet is also possible. Be sure to discuss your particular “diverticulitis diet” with your doctor!
Once the inflammation has subsided, doctors usually prescribe a gradual build-up of the diet, for example:
- Tea and rusks
- Mild soups
It is very important to avoid spicy foods such as chili or ginger, as well as fatty and flatulent foods during this phase of the diverticulitis diet. Over time, it is usually possible to add more and more foods back into the diet.
What can you eat with diverticulitis?
The intestine often needs some time to get used to the dietary fiber and not to react with severe flatulence, for example. At the same time, dietary fiber plays a key role in making the stool in the large intestine voluminous and soft. This prevents new diverticula from forming or existing protrusions from becoming inflamed again.
Long-term nutrition tips for diverticular disease/diverticulitis:
- Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. These foods are rich in plant fiber and have a high water content. Along the way, they provide your body with important vitamins and phytochemicals.
- Watch how your body reacts to onions, beans and lentils – these foods are actually very healthy. However, if they make you feel very bloated, it is better to limit the triggers. Too much gas in the intestines sometimes promotes diverticular development.
- Some people find it difficult to absorb the required amount of dietary fiber through food alone. Stool swelling agents such as wheat or oat bran, ground flaxseed or Indian psyllium husks provide relief here. It is important to always take these “digestive aids” with plenty of water to avoid constipation.
- Drink a lot! Dietary fiber is only helpful if you drink at least two liters of water or herbal tea in parallel.
See your doctor or a nutritionist for more information on the ideal diet for diverticular disease and diverticulitis.
Which products should be avoided?
For a long time, it was thought that nuts, grains, corn and popcorn should be avoided in cases of diverticula, as these settle in the diverticula and thus trigger inflammation. However, experts give the all-clear: Studies now show no increased risk of diverticulitis from these foods. Not even for smaller seeds such as those of strawberries, these are just as safe to consume with diverticula.
Alcohol, tobacco and coffee
Red meat
Doctors advise against eating red meat, i.e. beef, pork, lamb or goat meat. It increases both the risk of developing diverticula and diverticulitis. For this reason, doctors recommend at least limiting the consumption of red meat.
Probiotics
There are studies that show that diverticular disease sometimes results in a disturbed intestinal flora (intestinal microbiome). To restore sufficient beneficial bacteria to the intestinal flora, the use of probiotics is often promoted. These are products that contain viable microorganisms such as lactic acid bacteria and are usually available in powder or capsule form.
Probiotics are not among the products to be vehemently avoided, however, many physicians do not recommend probiotics for diverticular disease for the reasons stated.
