Diet and Diverticular Disease - Queensland Health

Diet and Diverticular Disease

What is diverticular disease? Why follow a high fibre diet when
Diverticular disease occurs when small well?
pouches develop in the lining of the large Diverticular disease is more common in
bowel. If these pockets become inflamed countries where people eat a low fibre
or infected, this is known as diverticulitis. diet. It is thought that constipation may
cause increased pressure in the colon,
Symptoms can include: resulting in pockets forming at the
• Altered bowel habits - Diarrhoea weakest part of the colon wall. A high
fibre diet and adequate fluid can reduce
and/or constipation pressure and prevents the formation of
• Abdominal pain and bloating these pockets.
• Bleeding
What is fibre?
What do I eat while I am unwell? Fibre is part of the plant that cannot be
You will need to follow low fibre diet until digested. Fibre passes through the
your symptoms settle down. This is to digestive tract largely unchanged.
minimise irritation to the bowel while it is
inflamed. It is not designed to be followed What does fibre do?
for a long period of time. The role of fibre is to promote healthy
bowel function. It adds bulk to the stool
Your Doctor has recommended you and absorbs water to keep it soft, which
follow a low fibre diet for: helps move food and waste through the
_________________________________ bowel.

What do I eat when I have recovered? Which foods are high in fibre?
When not experiencing symptoms, a high • Fresh fruit and vegetables
fibre diet is recommended. It is best to • Wholegrain breads and cereals
gradually increase your fibre intake to • Nuts and seeds
allow your bowels to adjust to the change. • Legumes e.g. baked beans, lentils,
It is also important that you drink plenty of
fluid on a high fibre diet. Please ask if you kidney beans, soy beans
are unsure about how much to drink.

This is a consensus document from Dietitian/ Nutritionists from the Nutrition Education Materials Online, "NEMO", team.

Disclaimer: http://www.health.qld.gov.au/masters/copyright.asp Reviewed: April 2014

Due for Review: April 2016

FOOD GROUP LOW FIBRE FOODS HIGH FIBRE FOODS

Bread, Cereals, Rice, • White bread/ crumpets/ • Wholemeal/ wholegrain bread,
crumpets, fruit bread/ rye bread
Pasta, Noodles scones/English muffins
• Wholegrain breakfast cereals or
• Refined breakfast cereals any with fruit, nuts or coconut
eg Muesli, All Bran™, Weetbix™
eg Rice Bubbles™,
• Rolled oats, oat bran, muesli
Cornflakes™, Special K™ bars

• Instant porridge • Brown rice, pasta, maize
• Wholemeal flour, wheatgerm
• White rice/ pasta, sago, • Sweet and savoury biscuits or

tapioca, semolina cakes made with wholemeal
flour, nuts, dried fruit or coconut
• White flour, cornflour,

custard powder

• Plain sweet and savoury

biscuits or cakes

Vegetables Ensure all vegetables are Where possible eat the skin
peeled and well cooked when having vegetables
• Potato, sweet potato,
pumpkin, carrot, zucchini • All other salad or vegetables
• Cauliflower, broccoli,
asparagus spear tips
• Tomato and cucumber with
skins and seeds removed
• Lettuce, cabbage, green
beans (chop and chew well)
and button mushrooms
• Spring onion
• Well strained vegetable
juice
• Tomato puree or paste

Fruit • Pawpaw and melons (no Where possible eat the skin

seeds) when having fruit

• Banana (small amount),

seedless grapes, cherries • All fresh fruit

• Peeled peaches & nectarine • Dried fruit

• Well cooked fruit with no

skin or pips

• Canned fruits except

pineapple and mango

• Well strained fruit juice

This is a consensus document from Dietitian/ Nutritionists from the Nutrition Education Materials Online, "NEMO", team.

Disclaimer: http://www.health.qld.gov.au/masters/copyright.asp Reviewed: April 2014

Due for Review: April 2016

FOOD GROUP LOW FIBRE FOODS HIGH FIBRE FOODS

Dairy foods • All varieties of milk • Ice cream or gelati containing
• Plain yoghurt, custard, dried fruit, nuts or coconut
Meat, fish, poultry,
eggs, nuts, legumes vanilla, Fruche™, plain • Products containing “chunky
Miscellaneous cheese, plain or flavoured fruit” pieces
icecream
• Flavoured milk with added fibre
• All meat, chicken or fish. (Up and Go, Oat Express)
• Tofu
• Eggs • Legumes eg. baked beans,
lentils, soy beans, kidney beans
• All fats including butter,
margarine, salad dressings, • Nuts
mayonnaise • Peanut butter

• Sugar, honey, syrups, • Popcorn
icecream toppings • Coconut
• Chocolate with nuts and fruit
• Boiled lollies, jubes, • Chutney and pickles
chocolate with no fruit, nuts
or coconut

• Spreads without seeds or
skin

• Soup made from allowed
ingredients, Bonox™

• Tea, coffee, alcohol

MYTH: Recent research suggests that avoiding nuts and seeds has no impact on preventing
attacks of diverticulitis. Nuts and seeds can be included as part of a balanced, high fibre diet.

This is a consensus document from Dietitian/ Nutritionists from the Nutrition Education Materials Online, "NEMO", team.

Disclaimer: http://www.health.qld.gov.au/masters/copyright.asp Reviewed: April 2014

Due for Review: April 2016

Suggested Meal Plan Sample high fibre diet
Sample low fibre diet

Breakfast Breakfast
CornflakesTM or Rice-bubblesTM
wholegrain cereal such as porridge,
milk All BranTM or muesli

apple juice low fat milk

white toast, margarine & honey or banana

vegemite wholemeal toast

Lunch Lunch
white bread sandwich wholemeal or wholegrain sandwich or
chicken and avocado filling roll
vanilla yoghurt chicken and salad
apple
fruit yoghurt

Dinner Dinner
grilled steak grilled steak
mashed potato jacket potato
steamed pumpkin broccoli and corn
ice-cream and tinned peaches fruit salad and ice cream

Snacks: Custard, yoghurt, low fibre Snacks: Fruit, nuts, wholegrain
fruits (e.g. pawpaw, rockmelon, water biscuits or muesli bars
melon), plain biscuit (e.g., Nice, Milk
Coffee, Water Crackers, Jatz)

For further information contact your Dietitian:____________________________________

This is a consensus document from Dietitian/ Nutritionists from the Nutrition Education Materials Online, "NEMO", team.

Disclaimer: http://www.health.qld.gov.au/masters/copyright.asp Reviewed: April 2014

Due for Review: April 2016