It's also OK to eat small fruits with seeds, such as strawberries and blueberries. Research has found that these foods are not associated with an increased diverticulitis risk.
Actually, no specific foods are known to trigger diverticulitis attacks. And no special diet has been proved to prevent attacks. In the past, people with small pouches (diverticula) in the lining of the colon were told to avoid nuts, seeds and popcorn.
In the past, doctors had recommended that people with diverticular disease (diverticulosis or diverticulitis) avoid hard-to-digest foods such as nuts, corn, popcorn, and seeds, for fear that these foods would get stuck in the diverticula and lead to inflammation.
A wide variety of fruits, including strawberries, blueberries and raspberries, are rich in fiber, water and antioxidants, which act as natural digestive cleansers and help to keep your colon healthy.
A diagnosis of diverticulitis no longer means you have a long list of foods to avoid. At one time, doctors recommended avoiding nuts, popcorn, seeds and even fruits or vegetables with seeds (like tomatoes or strawberries). But recent studies suggest those foods do not contribute to flare-ups and are fine to eat.
Research suggests that a diet low in fiber and high in red meat may increase your risk of getting diverticulitis—inflammation of one or a few pouches in the wall of your colon. Eating high-fiber foods and eating less red meat may lower the risk.
Good options include canned fruits such as peaches or pears, applesauce, ripe bananas, and soft, ripe cantaloupe and honeydew. “It's not a lot of fiber because you're not eating the skin. The skins are the source of insoluble fiber, which can irritate inflamed polyps.”
Berries Yezaz Ghouri, MD, a gastroenterologist at the University of Missouri Health Care in Columbia, recommends fruits such as strawberries and blueberries because they're easily digestible for people with Crohn's disease. They also exhibit antioxidant activity, which protects your cells against damage.
New research shows that blueberry fiber is important and can alleviate and protect against intestinal inflammations, such as ulcerative colitis.
Research shows that blueberries can dramatically improve gut bacteria. They are rich in prebiotics, which serves as a precursor to probiotics, contributing to healthy bacteria in the gut and colon. Furthermore, the potent anti-inflammatory properties found in blueberry can alter the gut bacteria, reduce inflammation.
Diverticulosis is a condition in which small, bulging pouches (diverticuli) form inside the lower part of the intestine, usually in the colon. Constipation and straining during bowel movements can worsen the condition. A diet rich in fiber can help keep stools soft and prevent inflammation.
Plus, probiotics have anti-inflammatory effects, which may help to ease inflammation from diverticulitis. Probiotics are available in supplement form, but they can also be found in certain foods, such as yogurt, kombucha, and fermented vegetables.
Fresh fruits, like apples, have the most fiber when eaten with the skin. 13 However, if you're having symptoms of diverticulitis, look for lower-fiber options, like applesauce. Bananas are another good source of fruit fiber.
“Eggs are a great source of protein, and they're easily digested,” Dr. Nazarian says. And they won't irritate your diverticula.
Answer: They can all help you poop. Blueberries can definitely play a role in getting things moving and making you go, which may not be all that surprising since fruits are a good source of fiber. But blueberries' gut-friendly potential goes beyond fiber, making them one of the best fruits to keep you regular.
Anti-inflammatory drugs are often the first step in the treatment of ulcerative colitis, typically for mild to moderate disease. Anti-inflammatories include aminosalicylates, such as mesalamine (Delzicol, Rowasa, others), balsalazide (Colazal) and olsalazine (Dipentum).
Strawberries contain several polyphenols known to exhibit anti-inflammatory effects. The total phenolic content of strawberries is similar to blackberries and raspberries, but lower than blueberries [18].
From strawberries and blackberries to cranberries and blueberries, these gemlike fruits are particularly potent in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.
Blueberries are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, which can help support a leak-free gut. They also contain an amazing antioxidant, quercetin, which can drive a balanced immune response. Plus, blueberries are rich in Vitamins A, C, and K and contain several grams of fiber.
The diverticulitis flare will usually go away after four to six weeks, Doerfler says. At that point, you can start eating higher-fiber foods like whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and healthy fats like nuts, seeds, avocado, and olive oil.
Probiotics combined with mesalazine have also emerged as an alternative potential therapeutic strategy in preventing recurrent attacks of diverticulitis. One series reported that treatment with mesalazine and/or lactobacillus casei induced remission in 88% of their patients at a median follow-up of 2 years.