Can you eat peanut butter with diverticulitis?

In this brief guide, we will answer the query “ can you eat peanut butter with diverticulitis?” and discuss what are the benefits of eating peanut butter with diverticulitis as well as how much peanut butter you should eat. 

Can you eat peanut butter with diverticulitis?

Yes, you can eat peanut butter with diverticulitis. Contrary to the previous belief that foods such as popcorn, seeds and nuts should be avoided by patients suffering from diverticulitis, studies demonstrate that there is an inverse relation between nut and popcorn consumption and the risk of diverticulitis (1).

What are the benefits of eating peanut butter with diverticulitis?

The benefits of eating peanut butter with diverticulitis are that peanut butter is rich in dietary fibers, which may improve the symptoms of diverticulitis. In addition, peanut butter contains many compounds that may help in the healing and treatment of inflammations, as well as in its prevention (2,5).

Peanuts contain a compound called resveratrol, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This compound can interfere in the pathway reactions that lead to inflammation and diseases such as cancer, in the body (5).

Diverticulitis is an inflammatory disease and therefore patients suffering from diverticulitis could be benefited by the consumption of peanut butter. 

How much peanut butter can you eat per day?

You can eat about 1.5 ounces of nuts per day, as part of a healthy diet, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. This equals about 42 g, including all types and sources of nuts ingested in the day (6,7).

That means you can eat two and a half tablespoons of peanut butter every day, considering that you are not ingesting other nuts, such as almonds and cashews or any other nut spreads.

Remember that peanuts as well as other nuts are rich in fats and a diet with excessive fats can worsen the symptoms related to diverticulitis and is not considered healthy for anyone. 

What are the risk factors triggering the development of diverticulitis?

There are several risk factors leading to the development of diverticulitis in individuals. Some of these are listed below (1,2):

  • Aging significantly increases the incidence of diverticulitis.
  • Consuming diets high in animal fats and low fibers potentially increases the risk of diverticulitis.
  • Lack of exercise, obesity and smoking increases the incidence of diverticulitis.
  • Frequent intake of some medications may increase the risk of developing diverticulitis.
  • Genetic factors and immunosuppression can lead to diverticulitis
  • History of surgery and inflammation can cause diverticulitis 

What is the recommended diet for a patient with Diverticulitis?

The recommended diet for a patient with diverticulitis is a diet rich in dietary fibers. Food containing fibers, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, should be included in the diet (2,3).

Fiber supplements can also be used, such as lactulose, Metamucil or bran tablets, in addition to food or as a source of fibers in the diet (2).

Some fiber-rich foods are berries, apples with skin, beans, peas, cooked sweet potatoes and fiber-rich cereals (3).

Food such as refined sugars, processed meats, french fries and high-fat dairy and sweets should be avoided (1).

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we will answer the query “ can you eat peanut butter with diverticulitis?” and discuss what are the benefits of eating peanut butter with diverticulitis as well as how much peanut butter you should eat. 

Citation

  1. Carabotti, Marilia, et al. Role of dietary habits in the prevention of diverticular disease complications: a systematic review. Nutrients, 2021, 13, 1288.
  2. Strate, Lisa L., and Arden M. Morris. Epidemiology, pathophysiology, and treatment of diverticulitis. Gastroenterol, 2019, 156, 1282-1298.
  3. Ünlü, Cagdas, et al. A systematic review of high-fibre dietary therapy in diverticular disease. Int j colorectal dis, 2012, 27,  419-427.
  4. Eating, Diet, & Nutrition for Diverticular Disease.  National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).
  5. Udenigwe, Chibuike C., et al. Potential of resveratrol in anticancer and anti-inflammatory therapy. Nutrition rev, 2008, 66, 445-454.  
  6. Raatz, S. Go nuts! United States Department of Agriculture
  7. Peanut butter. Food Data Central. United States Department of Agriculture

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