Got Diverticulosis? It's OK to Eat Popcorn
Diverticulosis, a condition in which tiny pouches form along the inside of the colon, affects about 10 percent of people over 40, half of people over 60, and nearly everyone over the age of 80. To keep the risk of bleeding and other complications to a minimum, many doctors tell patients to avoid nuts, seeds, and popcorn for fear that the foods might become lodged in the pouches and cause irritation. But the fear seems to be unwarranted, according to data released today by University of Washington and Harvard researchers at a large meeting of gastroenterologists in Washington, D.C.
The researchers base their conclusions on a 20-year study of 47,228 men. When research began in 1986, the men were between the ages of 40 and 75 and didn't have a history of diverticulosis. But after 18 years of follow-up, diverticulosis with complications had appeared in some of them: 303 men developed profuse bleeding, and 801 had developed an infection that causes abdominal pain.
All the study participants were surveyed every four years about their nut, seed, and popcorn consumption. Researchers found no significant correlation between consumption and complications; in fact, men who ate the most popcorn were 28 percent less likely to be affected than the men who ate the least. "People with diverticulosis don't need to avoid seeds, nuts, and corn. Nor is there any reason to go out and eat 10 pounds of popcorn a day," says Lisa Strate, a gastroenterologist at the University of Washington and the lead author of the study.
Medical experts say that the best way to avoid complications from diverticulosis is to eat a diet rich in fiber, drink plenty of water, and exercise regularly. The American Dietetic Association recommends that all people eat 20 to 35 grams of fiber a day. High-fiber foods include whole-grain breads, cereals, and crackers; berries; fruit; vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, spinach, carrots, asparagus, squash, and beans; brown rice; bran products; and cooked dried peas and beans.
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