Hey, don’t take away my popcorn!

We have long told people suffering from diverticulitis to avoid popcorn and nuts. Well a new study suggests this may not be the best advice. Diverticulitis is caused by an outpouching in the large intestines. Food can get caught in these pouches causing pain, usually in the lower-left abdomen. Other symptoms include nausea, vomiting, feeling hot (without necessarily a fever), cramping and constipation.

You probably know someone with diverticulitis. Recent research suggests one third of the US population experiences it by age 60. Furthermore, the incidence increases to two thirds by age 85.

Doctors and dietitians have instructed people with diverticulitis to avoid foods such as popcorn, nuts, and corn. Logically, these high-residue foods seemed more likely to get caught in the intestinal outpouches. However, recent research published in JAMA actually shows eating popcorn, nuts and corn has a protective effect from developing diverticulitis in over 47,000 study subjects.

These findings suggest we should eat foods rich in soluble fiber to lower our risk of developing diverticulitis. Such foods include:

• Dried beans (black, pinto, kidney, etc)
• Oatmeal
• Psillium husk and breakfast cereals that include it.
• Nuts
• Popcorn

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Strate LL, et. al., Nut, Corn, and Popcorn Consumption and the Incidence of Diverticular Disease, JAMA Aug 27, 2008;300:907-14

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diverticulitis