An important thing to do during a flare-up is to reduce inflammation. When you’re not in a flare-up, it’s also important to have a preventative nutrition plan in place.
A diagnosis of diverticular disease might bring up a lot of questions and concerns. What can you eat? Should you stay away from certain foods? Will your symptoms go away on their own, or will you always feel this way?
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Searching for answers can be just as confusing. What is the real difference between diverticulosis and diverticulitis? There is a lot of false information out there.
Anna Taylor, RD, LD, a registered dietitian, says that when you have diverticulitis, you should focus your diet on lowering inflammation and making your symptoms less severe. When you’re not having a flare-up, you should also work on making an eating plan that works for you and your digestive tract.
There was some confusion about how to treat both parts of diverticular disease. Taylor clears it up and tells you what foods you may or may not want to eat if you have these conditions.
Can You Eat Lobster with Diverticulitis? A Guide to Safe Seafood
Diverticulitis is a digestive condition characterized by inflammation of diverticula, which are small pouches that can form in the lining of the colon During a diverticulitis flare-up, the pouches become inflamed and swollen, leading to abdominal pain, bloating, constipation or diarrhea To help ease symptoms and allow the colon to rest and heal, doctors typically recommend a liquid or low-fiber diet during acute episodes. This raises questions about which foods are safe to eat, including seafood like lobster. This article provides a complete guide to eating lobster and other seafood with diverticulitis.
What is Diverticulitis?
Diverticulitis occurs when diverticula in the colon become infected or inflamed. Diverticula are small sacs or pouches that bulge outward in weak spots of the colon lining. They are common, especially in older adults, and most people with diverticula don’t have any symptoms. However, about 20% of people with diverticulosis, or pouches in the colon, go on to develop diverticulitis. Risk factors include smoking, obesity, physical inactivity, low fiber intake, and regular use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Acute vs Chronic Diverticulitis
Diverticulitis can be acute or chronic. Acute diverticulitis comes on suddenly and causes intense abdominal pain, fever, nausea, vomiting, chills, cramping, constipation or diarrhea. Symptoms normally last from a few days to a week. Chronic diverticulitis involves milder but persistent symptoms that can last for weeks or months.
Diverticulitis Diet Guidelines
During an acute attack, doctors recommend a clear liquid or low-fiber diet to give the colon a chance to rest and heal. A clear liquid diet includes foods like broth, gelatin, pulp-free juices and popsicles. After a few days, you can transition to a low-fiber diet with foods like eggs, tofu, white rice, smooth nut butters, canned fruits and vegetables without skins or seeds, and tender meats like chicken or fish.
To help prevent future diverticulitis flare-ups, doctors recommend a high-fiber diet as your symptoms resolve. Good sources of fiber include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and beans.Aim for 25-35 grams of fiber per day from whole food sources. Stay well hydrated and exercise regularly to keep things moving through your colon.
Is Lobster Safe to Eat with Diverticulitis?
During an acute attack, lobster and other forms of seafood are generally considered safe in moderation as part of a low-fiber diet. Lean proteins like seafood provide a good source of protein and nutrients without irritating the colon.
Some experts recommend avoiding seafood during a flare-up because it may worsen symptoms in some people. However, the latest research indicates there is no need to completely restrict nuts, seeds, corn, popcorn or seafood out of concern they could get lodged in diverticula.
That said, it’s important to stick to a low-fiber diet and avoid any specific foods that seem to worsen your symptoms. Monitor your symptoms carefully when reintroducing higher fiber foods.
Low-Fiber Lobster Dish Ideas
Here are some tips for preparing lobster and other seafood as part of a low-fiber diverticulitis diet:
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Opt for lean grilled, baked or broiled seafood. Avoid breaded or fried versions.
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Steam lobster claws and tails instead of eating the whole lobster. The shells and fibrous ligaments between the tail and body are higher in fiber.
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Remove any shells, tails or tough textures that may be difficult to break down.
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Enjoy lobster meat or canned tuna mixed into egg salad or tuna salad made with low-fibermayo.
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Make seafood chowder or bisque using allowed vegetables like potatoes or tomatoes without skins and seeds. Puree to a smooth consistency.
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Combine canned salmon or tuna with mashed potatoes or white rice.
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Add shrimp, scallops, cod or crab to pasta or rice dishes.
Staying Hydrated
Make sure to drink plenty of fluids during a flare-up to stay hydrated and help soften stools. Aim for 8-12 8 oz cups per day, including water, clear broths, diluted juices and herbal teas. Limit caffeine and alcohol as they can have a dehydrating effect.
Transitioning Back to a High Fiber Diet
As your symptoms improve, your doctor will have you gradually increase your fiber intake over several weeks. Take it slowly to give your colon time to adjust and to prevent gas, bloating or diarrhea. Good food sources include:
- Fruits: berries, pears, apples, bananas
- Vegetables: broccoli, carrots, green beans, squash
- Whole grains: oats, brown rice, whole grain bread
- Nuts and seeds: almonds, walnuts, chia seeds
- Beans and legumes: chickpeas, lentils, edamame
Aim to meet the daily recommended fiber intake but spread it out over the day. Drink plenty of fluids to help fiber pass smoothly through your colon. Notify your doctor if symptoms get worse when adding fiber back into your diet.
Can You Eat Corn, Popcorn and Nuts?
In the past, people with diverticulosis were told to avoid nuts, corn, popcorn and seeds. But there’s no scientific evidence proving these foods cause diverticulitis flares. Leading health organizations now state these foods can be safely consumed as part of a high-fiber diet. They provide many beneficial nutrients that may aid digestive health.
That said, some people report these foods make their symptoms worse. Pay attention to your own tolerance. If you notice any issues after eating specific foods, avoid or limit them. Focus on getting fiber from foods that agree with you.
Takeaways
During an acute diverticulitis flare-up, seafood like lobster can be part of a low-fiber diet in moderation. Avoid anything that worsens your symptoms. As you transition back to a high fiber diet, continue monitoring your tolerance, especially for foods previously restricted. Drink plenty of fluids daily and exercise regularly to support digestive health. Notify your doctor if you have persistent or worsening symptoms on a high fiber diet. With the right lifestyle habits tailored to your needs, most people can successfully manage diverticulosis and prevent recurrent diverticulitis episodes.
How to follow a diverticulosis eating plan
But what if you don’t have a flare-up of diverticulitis? What can you do to keep flare-ups from happening? Constipation often leads to the formation of diverticula. Also, hard, stuck stools can irritate or hurt the pockets that line the walls of your colon, which can make flare-ups happen again and again over time.
“People get diverticula after years of their muscles contracting too much as they try to move small, hard stools,” says Taylor. For people who are constipated, a high-fiber diet makes stools softer, which makes it easier for them to move through their GI tract. There’s also less pressure against those pockets, which helps prevent diverticulitis flare-ups.
A high-fiber diet typically includes 25 to 35 grams of fiber per day. You can work that into your nutritional plan by choosing minimally processed plant foods such as:
- Whole grains.
- Fruits.
- Vegetables.
- Beans.
- Legumes, including lentils and nuts.
Years ago, doctors thought that if you ate corn, popcorn, nuts and seeds, those tiny components could get caught inside the pockets along your intestines, causing them to become inflamed so that you developed diverticulitis. But there’s no research to support that theory.
“It’s safe to eat these types of foods, including tomatoes and strawberries with seeds,” Taylor notes. “All that normal roughage and fiber is fine. ”.
To get the most out of a high-fiber diet, she also recommends:
- Getting at least 64 ounces of water every day, or more if you work out
- Exercising regularly (it helps propel waste through your system).
- Eating a lot of different kinds of food every day, like at least five servings of fruits and vegetables, three servings of whole grains, and one serving of nuts or beans
- Cutting back on processed foods, red meat, and foods high in saturated fat
“Diverticular disease may be common in Western societies because our diets are so low in fiber,” Taylor says. “Americans, on average, eat around 14 grams each day — about half of what’s recommended. ”.
Dietary differences between diverticulosis and diverticulitis
When you have diverticulosis, little pouches or pockets form on the inside lining of your intestines and your colon. These pockets, called diverticula, are relatively harmless on their own. You can think of them as freckles or skin tags. They’re usually not a problem unless they get irritated or infected — and when this happens, it’s called diverticulitis.
Getting these pockets infected or hurt can make inflammation build up inside them, which can then spread to other parts of your colon. During these flare-ups, you’ll likely experience:
- Abdominal cramping.
- Pain or tenderness in the area.
- Swelling.
- Bloating.
- Constipation or diarrhea.
It’s possible to have diverticulosis without ever developing diverticulitis. When you have diverticulosis, the best way to stop flare-ups is to make sure that your diet doesn’t add to your pain or inflammation. When you have a diverticulitis flare-up, you should change what you eat to make your symptoms less severe and give your intestines time to heal.
How To Treat Diverticulitis – NEW DATA
FAQ
Can I eat seafood with diverticulitis?
What meat is OK with diverticulitis?
What foods are banned for diverticulitis?
Can you eat hot dogs with diverticulosis?
Which fish should I eat if I have diverticulitis?
Flounder, salmon, crappie, or bass? Whichever you prefer is fine because all fish species are fiber-free, not to mention tasty! A study in 2013 found that those with the lowest Vitamin D levels were significantly more likely to develop a diverticulitis flare up.
Can one eat shrimp if they have diverticulitis?
If consumption is without shell and without exaggeration, it is okay for those with diverticulitis to eat shrimp. But my experience inspires me to say that first of all it is good to test a small dose because some individuals may not feel anything but others may have very unpleasant reactions and even make the condition worse.
Can you eat meat if you have diverticulitis?
Meat and poultry are low-fiber foods that are among the safe ones to eat when you are dealing with a diverticulitis flare-up. However, a high red meat diet might not be good if you don’t already have diverticulitis and don’t want to develop it. What Is Diverticulitis?
Can you eat a liquid diet if you have diverticulitis?
A liquid diet is meant to allow your bowels to rest and heal. It is generally recommended to follow a liquid or low-fiber diet only until your diverticulitis symptoms improve. Afterward, you may gradually add solid foods back into your diet along with slowly increasing your fiber intake.