5 Best Foods to Eat If You’re Having a Diverticulitis Flare

Diverticula are small, bulging pouches that can develop in the wall of the intestine. No one knows what causes these pouches to form. But diets that are low in fiber and high in processed foods may increase the risk of developing diverticula.

When diverticula become inflamed or infected, people develop diverticulitis. People can develop diverticulitis flares throughout their lives. Diverticulitis flares cause symptoms like:

• Abdominal pain

• Abdominal tenderness, usually in the left lower part of the abdomen

• Bloating or gas

• Fever or chills

• Loss of appetite

During flares, people need rest, pain relief, and sometimes antibiotic treatment. People also need to change what they eat so that their gut can recover from inflammation. Eating the right foods can help ease symptoms and speed up recovery from a diverticulitis flare.

Here are the five best foods to eat if you're experiencing a diverticulitis flare.

1. Clear liquids

Most people need to give their gut a rest for the first 48 hours of a diverticulitis flare. That means avoiding solid foods and focusing on hydration instead. Clear liquid diets keep your body hydrated and give your gut time to cool off from inflammation.

The best clear liquids to consume during a diverticulitis flare include:

• Water

• Clear broths

• Jell-O

• Pulp-free juice

• Electrolyte drinks

• Popsicles

You can also have coffee, tea, and soda as part of a clear liquid diet. But these liquids can make diverticulitis symptoms worse for some people. So it's important to listen to your body and avoid liquids that make your pain worse.

Getting enough liquids will keep you from becoming dehydrated. But they won't provide enough nutrition to keep your body running smoothly and help you recover from a flare. That's why it's important to start eating again once you get the go-ahead from your healthcare team.

2. Dairy products

Dairy products are a great first food to eat during a diverticulitis flare. Many dairy products are just thicker liquids, and they're also naturally low in fiber. This means that dairy products are easier to digest. Your inflamed intestines don't have to work as hard to break them down and extract nutrients from them. This can help keep your symptoms under control.

Also, dairy products are high in important nutrients like protein and calcium, which can help with healing. Some examples of dairy products you can try include:

• Milk

• Ice cream

• Yogurt

• Cottage cheese

• Cheese

Some people may experience dairy intolerance during a flare if they aren't normally lactose-intolerant. So avoid dairy products if you notice that your diverticulitis symptoms get worse when you eat them.

Let your healthcare team know if you have lactose intolerance. They may suggest other options for first foods during a flare. Or they may have suggestions for low-lactose and lactose-free dairy products.

3. Low-fiber grains and starches

Once you start to add solid food back into your diet, it's important to focus on foods that are low in fiber. Low-fiber foods are easier to digest, so they put less stress on inflamed intestines. Low-fiber foods are less likely to worsen pain and bloating.

Examples of low-fiber grains and starches include:

• White bread

• White rice

• White pasta

• Saltine crackers

• Peeled potatoes

• Cornflakes cereal

You may be surprised to hear that you should eat these low-fiber foods. People with diverticular disease are encouraged to eat high-fiber foods as much as possible. It's true that fiber can help prevent future flares. But during a flare, it's important to let the intestines recover first. Once your intestine heals, you should go back to eating high-fiber foods.

4. Low-fiber fruits

Most fruits are naturally high in fiber, making them hard to digest. But a few fruits are low in fiber and can be enjoyed during a flare. These fruits may not have a lot of fiber. But they have other important vitamins and nutrients that your body can use during the healing process.

Some low-fiber fruits you can eat during a flare include:

• Most canned fruits (except pineapple and those packed in heavy syrup)

• Fruit sauces, like applesauce

• Very ripe apricots

• Bananas

• Melons (cantaloupe, honeydew)

• Seedless watermelon

• Nectarines

• Peaches

• Papayas

• Plums

5. Protein-rich foods

Many foods that are rich in protein are also naturally low in fiber. This makes them great foods to eat during a flare, because they're easy to digest and contain important nutrients. The body uses protein during all its healing processes. So, getting enough protein is important for recovery from a diverticulitis flare.

Some low-fiber, protein-rich foods that can help you speed up your diverticulitis recovery include:

• Cooked meat, fish, and poultry

• Eggs

• Smooth peanut butter

• Tofu

When should you start feeling better from a diverticulitis flare?

It usually takes 2 to 3 days to feel better from a diverticulitis flare. And most people feel back to normal within 1 week.

But sometimes, people can develop severe symptoms that don't go away on their own or even with oral antibiotics. It's important to pay attention to your symptoms. Contact your healthcare team right away if:

• Your diverticulitis is getting worse.

• Your diverticulitis symptoms don't seem to be getting better after 48 hours.

• Your symptoms seem worse than during previous flares.

• Your symptoms haven't gone away after 1 week.

And some diverticulitis symptoms need immediate medical attention. You should go to the nearest urgent care center or emergency room (ER) if you develop these symptoms during a diverticulitis flare:

• Bloody stools

• Fever

• Chills

• Severe stomach or back pain

• Inability to keep fluids down because of vomiting

• Making less urine