What Can You Eat on a Diverticulitis Diet?
Digestive HealthDiverticulitis

What Can You Eat on a Diverticulitis Diet?

What Can You Eat on a Diverticulitis Diet?
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Updated on January 5, 2026
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If you have received a diagnosis of diverticulitis, your doctor may recommend dietary changes along with other treatments, such as antibiotics, to allow your digestive tract to heal. Foods high in dietary fiber can help prevent diverticulitis from recurring.

What’s the Connection Between Fiber and Diverticulitis?

Diverticulitis is a condition in which small, sac-like pouches (diverticula) that form on the top layer of the colon become inflamed.

Diverticula typically form when food pushes against weak spots in your colon during digestion. A diet low in fiber makes stools harder and more difficult to pass, putting stress on the walls of the colon.

 Because constipation causes pressure to build up in the colon, it may also lead to inflammation of diverticula already present, causing diverticulitis.
While diverticulosis is common and the risk increases with age, fewer than 5 percent of people with diverticulosis develop diverticulitis.

 Risk factors for diverticulitis include a low-fiber diet, lack of physical activity, and obesity.

Best Foods to Eat to Prevent Diverticulitis

Adequate fiber is important for your digestive health. Fiber promotes beneficial bacteria, keeps your digestive tract clean, and bulks up stool so it’s easier to pass.

High-fiber foods are typically also a good source of important vitamins and other nutrients.

Here are some high-fiber foods to include in a diverticulitis diet:

  • Whole grains, such as oats, whole-grain breads, brown rice, and quinoa
  • Fruits, such as apples, bananas, pears, and berries
  • Beans and legumes, such as lentils, black beans, green peas, and chickpeas
  • Vegetables, such as broccoli, spinach, squash, and chard
  • Nuts and seeds, such as almonds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and pecans
If dietary restrictions prevent you from consuming enough fiber from foods, your doctor may recommend fiber supplements, such as:

  • psyllium (Metamucil, Konsyl, and others)
  • methylcellulose (Citrucel)
  • calcium polycarbophil (FiberCon)

Can You Have Too Much Fiber With Diverticulitis?

You can worsen some symptoms of diverticulitis, like gas, bloating, and cramping, if you add too much fiber too quickly. You should increase your water intake and introduce fiber slowly over a few weeks to give your digestive system time to adjust.

If you still experience symptoms when adding fiber slowly, your doctor may recommend a clear liquid diet for a few days. This gives your digestive tract time to rest before you resume a normal diet. A clear liquid diet may include water, broth, and plain gelatin.

The 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends 22 to 28 grams (g) of fiber per day for adult females and 28 to 34 g per day for adult males.

Foods to Avoid if You’re Having a Diverticulitis Attack

A diverticulitis attack is when you experience sudden, or acute, symptoms of diverticulitis, such as abdominal pain and nausea. Pain is typically moderate to severe and may feel sharp or have a burning quality.

During a diverticulitis attack or flare-up, your healthcare provider may initially recommend that you avoid high-fiber foods to give your digestive tract time to heal. They may instead start you on a clear liquid diet, which helps provide nutrients without making symptoms worse.

Foods you may eat on a clear liquid diet include:

  • Chicken, beef, or vegetable broth
  • Fruit juices without pulp, like apple, grape, or cranberry
  • Water
  • Soda
  • Tea or coffee without cream
  • Ice pops
  • Gelatin
  • Hard candy
Once your symptoms start to improve, or if they are more moderate, your doctor may recommend slowly introducing low-fiber foods until you feel better. Here are some examples of low-fiber foods:

  • Lean fish, poultry, and red meat
  • Plant protein sources, such as tofu and smooth nut butters
  • Eggs
  • Low-fat dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, and mild cheeses
  • Low-fiber grains, such as white bread, rice, and pasta
  • Canned or cooked fruits and vegetables without skins or seeds

Other Tips to Help Prevent Diverticulitis

Along with diet, other lifestyle changes that may lower your risk of diverticulitis include:

  • Regular physical activity
  • Not smoking, or quitting smoking if you smoke
  • Reaching or maintaining a healthy weight
  • Drinking plenty of water
In rare cases where diverticulitis doesn't respond to other treatments, your doctor may recommend elective bowel surgery to remove the small part of your colon that’s causing irritation.

The Takeaway

  • A high-fiber diet is important for preventing the sac-like pouches (diverticula) in your colon from becoming inflamed and leading to diverticulitis.
  • If you received a diagnosis of diverticulitis, your healthcare provider may recommend a temporary low-fiber or liquid diet while your digestive tract heals.
  • Other lifestyle changes that can lower your risk of diverticulitis include regular physical activity, smoking cessation, a healthy weight, and drinking plenty of water.

Resources We Trust

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Definition & Facts for Diverticular Disease. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. August 2021.
  2. Diverticulosis. Cleveland Clinic. April 10, 2023.
  3. Symptoms & Causes of Diverticular Disease. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. August 2021.
  4. Mayo Clinic Staff. Dietary Fiber: Essential for a Healthy Diet. Mayo Clinic. November 07, 2025.
  5. High-Fiber Foods. MedlinePlus. July 24, 2024.
  6. Are There Trigger Foods That I Should Stop Eating to Prevent Diverticulitis Attacks? Mayo Clinic. July 9, 2024.
  7. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. December 2020.
  8. Diverticulitis. Cleveland Clinic. April 10, 2023.
  9. Mayo Clinic Staff. Diverticulitis Diet. Mayo Clinic. November 12, 2024.
  10. Treatment for Diverticular Disease. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. August 2021.
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Lynn Grieger, RDN, CDCES

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Lynn Grieger is a registered dietitian-nutritionist, certified diabetes care and education specialist, certified personal trainer, and certified health and wellness coach. She completed requirements to become a registered dietitian at Valparaiso University in 1987 and completed a dietetic internship at Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey, Illinois, in 1988. 

Lynn brings her expertise in nutrition, exercise, and behavior change to her work in helping people reach their individual health and fitness goals. In addition to writing for Everyday Health, she has also written for websites and publications like Food and Health Communications, Today's Dietitian, iVillage.com, and Rodale Press. She has a passion for healthy, nutrient-dense, great-tasting food and for being outdoors as much as possible — she can often be found running or hiking, and has completed a marathon in every state.

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