Diet Recommendations for Diverticulitis

Medically reviewed by Robert Burakoff, MD

Diverticulitis is a common digestive condition that impacts the large intestine. It causes small pouches to form along the walls of the colon and become inflamed, which leads to symptoms such as abdominal pain, fever, and diarrhea. Your healthcare provider may recommend a restricted diet—such as a clear liquid diet or a low-fiber diet—to help you manage diverticulitis until your symptoms resolve.

Diverticulosis is the medical term used to describe the development of small pouches, called diverticula, along the walls of the large intestine. Diverticulosis is very common, impacting more than one-third of US adults between the ages of 50 and 59. Most people with this condition do not experience any symptoms. However, between 5-25% of people with diverticulosis develop diverticulitis, which can cause severe symptoms.

Over 90% of people diagnosed with diverticulitis have uncomplicated diverticulitis, which is associated with symptoms such as abdominal pain, fever, and elevated white blood cell count. A small percentage of people develop complicated diverticulitis, which can cause serious symptoms such as bowel perforation, abscess, and an infection of the tissue layer that lines the abdominal wall.

Diverticulitis requires immediate medical treatment. It can lead to life-threatening infections if left untreated.

Foods To Eat if You Have Diverticulitis

In addition to treatment with medications, people with diverticulitis are often put on restricted diets, such as low-fiber diets (usually 10-15 grams per day) or liquid diets, in order to reduce symptoms and relieve stress on the digestive system.

Low-Fiber and Low-Residue Foods

If you have diverticulitis, your healthcare provider may recommend that you follow a low-fiber or low-residue diet for a short time period. A low-residue diet excludes high-fiber foods and foods and beverages that may worsen symptoms like diarrhea.

These diets help slow activity in the digestive system and allow your bowels to rest and heal.

Foods recommended on low-fiber and low-residue diets include:

• Refined grains like white rice, white pasta, white crackers, and white bread

• Protein sources like eggs, seafood, tofu, and poultry

• Smooth peanut butter

• Cooked or canned fruits without skin or seeds

• Some raw fruits, such as very ripe bananas and cantaloupe

• Low-fiber, cooked vegetables such as carrots, pumpkin, and potatoes

• Some raw vegetables, such as cucumbers without skin or seeds and small amounts of shredded lettuce

• Fats like olive oil and mayonnaise

• Smooth condiments like salad dressing

Your healthcare provider will give you more detailed information on foods to eat while following a low-fiber or low-residue diet. Keep in mind that these diets aren’t meant to be followed long-term. They can help you determine how long you should follow a restricted diet based on your symptoms.

Clear Liquid Diet

If you are hospitalized for diverticulitis, your healthcare provider may recommend a short-term, clear liquid diet to take pressure off of your gastrointestinal system and decrease stool output.

When following a clear liquid diet, the following foods are allowed:

• Plain water

• Fruit juice without pulp, such as clear apple juice and cranberry juice

• Broths with no chunks, such as plain chicken or beef broth

• Clear beverages, such as ginger ale

• Jello

• Ice pops with no fruit or dairy added

• Tea or coffee with dairy or dairy replacements

• Sports drinks with no coloring

This diet is highly restrictive, and no solid foods are allowed. However, this eating pattern is used as a short-term treatment. A clear liquid diet is usually only followed for a few days, as it could result in calorie and nutrient deficiency if it’s followed longer than five days.

Foods To Avoid if You Have Diverticulitis

If you have diverticulitis, you will likely benefit from limiting your fiber intake. If you have a severe case of diverticulitis, you may not be able to tolerate any solid foods and may need to follow a clear liquid diet for several days.

If you have uncomplicated diverticulitis, you should generally avoid the following foods:

• Beans and legumes like lentils and black beans

• Whole grains and whole-grain products such as whole-grain breads, cereals, whole-wheat pasta, and brown rice

• Most raw fruits, such as berries and pineapple

• All dried fruits

• Most raw vegetables

• Fruit and vegetable skins and fruit juice with pulp

• Nuts and seeds such as almonds and pumpkin seeds

• The tough part of meat as well as deli meats, hot dogs, and sausage

• Crunchy peanut butter

• Fried or spicy foods

If following a low-residue diet, you should generally avoid dairy products, such as milk and ice cream, as these may exacerbate symptoms like diarrhea.

Meal Ideas for Diverticulitis

Here is a general low-fiber, dairy-free diet plan for people who have diverticulitis. Keep in mind that you should always follow the dietary recommendations given by your healthcare provider, as some people with diverticulitis may need to follow a more restrictive diet, such as a clear liquid diet.

Breakfast

Breakfast options include:

• Scrambled eggs served with white toast topped with smooth peanut butter and sliced, very ripe banana

• Oatmeal with skinless fruit, such as peeled apples or pumpkin

• Smoothie made with ripe banana, orange juice, and peeled peaches and/or pears

• Low-fat yogurt or kefir (if lactose isn't a trigger) with granola and peeled apples, peaches, pears, oranges, or ripe banana

Lunch

Lunch options include:

• Chicken salad made with mayonnaise on white bread served with a small amount of shredded lettuce and a side of applesauce

• A wrap made with a flour tortilla, peeled and roasted sweet potatoes, roasted carrots, spinach, and cooked chicken breast

• A bowl of chicken noodle soup with crackers

• Grain bowl made with quinoa, hard-boiled egg, roasted starchy vegetables, and a lean protein

Dinner

Dinner options include:

• Baked salmon served with a skinless baked potato and cooked carrots

• Pasta with baked chicken and cooked spinach

• Fish tacos with flour tortillas, avocado, and salsa

Snacks

Diverticulitis-friendly snack options include:

• Hard-boiled egg

• Ripe cantaloupe

• Canned fruit (drain the syrup)

• English muffin with smooth peanut butter

• Pretzels

High-Fiber Diet for Diverticulitis Prevention

If you’ve had diverticulitis, you can reduce your risk of getting diverticulitis again by following a nutritious high-fiber diet. A healthy dietary pattern can also reduce the risk of diverticulitis development in people with diverticulosis. If you've had diverticulosis, you may want to follow a high-fiber diet to reduce your risk of developing diverticulitis in the future.

A high-fiber diet can help protect against diverticular disease in general. In fact, a 2020 review that included data on more than 865,000 people found that, compared to people who consumed 7.5 grams (g) of fiber per day, those who consumed 30 and 40 grams of fiber per day had a 41% and 58% reduced risk of developing diverticular disease, respectively.

After recovering from diverticulitis, it’s recommended to start following a high-fiber diet, maintain adequate hydration, and maintain a healthy body weight to prevent diverticulitis recurrence.

A low-fiber diet is considered a risk factor for diverticulitis, so people who have experienced diverticulitis, as well as those with diverticulosis, should prioritize high-fiber foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes (beans). Additionally, diets high in red meat and ultra-processed foods may increase your risk of diverticulitis. For this reason, red meat and ultra-processed foods, such as fast food, should be limited in the diets of people at risk for developing diverticulitis.

A Quick Review

Diverticulitis is a condition in which pouches that develop along the walls of the large intestine become inflamed. Diverticulitis can cause symptoms such as abdominal pain and fever, and can lead to life-threatening infections if not properly treated.

In addition to medication management, dietary changes are often recommended to both treat acute symptoms of diverticulitis and to prevent recurrence of diverticulitis after recovery.

If you have diverticulitis or are concerned about developing diverticulitis, your healthcare provider can give you dietary recommendations that can help treat and reduce the risk of this condition.

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