Diverticulitis Diet Foods To Avoid

Diverticulitis occurs when small pouches that form in your digestive tract, known as diverticula, become infected and inflamed. Symptoms of diverticulitis include pain, a change in bowel habits, nausea, fever and a sore abdomen. When your doctor treats you for diverticulitis, she will probably prescribe a specific diet, according to MayoClinic.com. Most doctors put patients with diverticulitis on a liquid diet at first. After you are able to add solid food back into your diet, you will still need to avoid a few foods that could cause further flare-ups. In general, slowly adding fiber to your diet will help you recover from a diverticulitis attack and prevent future incidents.

Foods With Small Seeds

Foods that contain tiny seeds, such as tomatoes, cucumbers and strawberries, may irritate your diverticulitis, according to the Medline Plus website. MayoClinic.com states that some doctors believe these small seeds can lead to inflammation and irritate patients with diverticulitis. However, if you find that eating foods with small seeds does not aggravate your discomfort, you may be able to safely add such foods back into your diet; ask your doctor whether it is safe to do so.

Seeds and Nuts

Doctors have traditionally recommended that diverticulitis sufferers avoid all nuts and seeds, including popcorn. They believed that eating these types of foods could lead to a blockage of the diverticula. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, no scientific evidence backs up these concerns. Talk to your doctor to see if he suggests avoiding seeds and nuts, and stop eating them if you find they upset your stomach.

Red Meat

The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends that you avoid eating red meat if you suffer from diverticulitis. Instead, choose lean, white meats such as chicken and fish. Avoiding red meat and eating a diet rich in fiber can help prevent future diverticulitis outbreaks.

Coffee and Tea

If you have diverticulitis, avoiding coffee and tea can help improve your symptoms, according to the Medline Plus website. The caffeine in coffee and tea can lead to dehydration and constipation, which will worsen your diverticulitis pain.

Alcohol

Avoid alcoholic beverages if you suffer from diverticulitis. Alcohol can cause upset stomach and constipation, which can lead to a repeat of your diverticulitis.