Gastroparesis is the medical term for delayed stomach emptying. During the process of digestion, the stomach must contract to empty itself of food and liquid. Normally, it contracts about three times a minute. This empties the stomach within 90-120 minutes after eating. If contractions are sluggish or less frequent, stomach emptying is delayed. This results in bothersome but sometimes serious symptoms, as well as malnutrition, because food is not being digested properly.
Gastroparesis may be caused by various conditions such as diabetes mellitus, certain disorders of the nervous system, or certain drugs. Often however, no cause can be found although a viral infection is suspected in some. The physician may prescribe medication to stimulate the stomach to contract. The purpose of the gastroparesis diet is to reduce symptoms and maintain adequate fluids and nutrition. There are three steps to the diet.
STEP 1 DIET consists of liquids, which usually leave the stomach quickly by gravity alone. Liquids prevent dehydration and keep the body supplied with vital salts and minerals.
STEP 2 DIET provides additional calories by adding a small amount of dietary fat — less than 40 gm each day. For patients with gastroparesis, fatty foods and oils should be restricted, because they delay stomach emptying. However, patients at the Step 2 level are usually able to tolerate this amount.
STEP 3 DIET is designed for long-term maintenance. Fat is limited to 50 gm per day, and fibrous foods are restricted, because many plant fibers cannot be digested.
Nutrition Facts
The STEP 1 Gastroparesis Diet is inadequate in all nutrients except sodium and potassium. It should not be continued for more than three days without additional nutritional support. STEP 2 and STEP 3 Gastroparesis Diets may be inadequate in Vitamins A and C, and the mineral iron. A multi-vitamin supplement is usually prescribed.
| Special Considerations |
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| Step 1 Food Groups | ||
|---|---|---|
| Group | Recommend | Avoid |
| Milk & milk products | none | all |
| Vegetables | none | all |
| Fruits | none | all |
| Breads & grains | plain saltine crackers | all others |
| Meat or meat substitutes | none | all |
| Fats & oils | none | all |
| Beverages | Gatorade and soft drinks (sipped slowly throughout the day) | all others |
| Soups | fat-free consommé and bouillon | all others |
| Sample Menu Step 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
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| This Sample Diet Provides the Following | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 790 | Fat | 9 gm |
| Protein | 11 gm | Sodium | 3,531 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 156 gm | Potassium | 244 mg |
| Step 2 Food Groups | ||
|---|---|---|
| Group | Recommend | Avoid |
| Milk & milk products | skim milk, products made with skim milk, low-fat yogurt, low-fat cheeses | whole milk products, creams (sour, light, heavy, whipping), half & half |
| Soups | fat-free consommé & bouillon, soups made from skim milk, & fat-free broths containing pasta or noodles and allowed vegetables | soups made with cream, whole milk, or broths containing fat |
| Bread & grains | breads & cereals, cream of wheat, pasta, white rice, egg noodles, low-fat crackers | oatmeal, whole grain rice, cereal, bread |
| Meat & meat substitutes | eggs, peanut butter (maximum 2 Tbsp/day) | beef, poultry, fish, pork products, dried beans, pea, & lentils |
| Vegetables | vegetable juice (tomato, V-8); well-cooked vegetables without skins (acorn squash, beets, carrots, mushrooms, potatoes, spinach, summer squash, strained tomato sauce, yams) | all raw vegetables, cooked vegetables with skins, beans (green, wax, lima), broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, corn, eggplant, onions, peas, peppers, pea pods, sauerkraut, turnips, water chestnuts, zucchini |
| Fruits | apple juice, cranberry juice, grape juice, pineapple, prune juice, canned fruits without skins (applesauce, peaches, pears) | citrus juices, all fresh and dried fruits, canned fruits with skins (apricots, cherries, blueberries, fruit cocktail, oranges, grapefruit, pineapple, plums, persimmons) |
| Fats & oils | any type of fat, but only in small amounts | none |
| Sweets & desserts* | hard candies, caramels, puddings & custards made from skim milk, frozen yogurt, fruit ice, gelatin, ice milk, jelly, honey, syrups | high-fat desserts (cakes, pies, cookies, pastries, ice cream), fruit preserves |
| Beverages | Gatorade*, soft drinks* (sipped slowly throughout the day) | all others, except allowed juices |
| *Concentrated sweets | ||
| Sample Menu Step 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
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| Morning Snack | Afternoon Snack | Evening Snack |
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| This Sample Diet Provides the Following | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 1,343 | Fat | 35 gm |
| Protein | 52 gm | Sodium | 2,639 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 206 gm | Potassium | 1,411 mg |
| Step 3 Food Groups | ||
|---|---|---|
| Group | Recommend | Avoid |
| Milk & milk products | skim milk, products made with skim milk, low-fat yogurt, low-fat cheeses | whole milk products, creams (sour, light, heavy, whipping), half & half |
| Soups | fat-free consommé & bouillon, soups made from skim milk, & fat-free broths containing pasta or noodles and allowed vegetables | soups made with cream, whole milk, or broths containing fat |
| Fruits | fruit juices, canned fruits without skins (applesauce, peaches, pears) | all fresh & dried fruits, canned fruits with skins (apricots, cherries, plums, blueberries, fruit cocktail, oranges, grapefruit, pineapple, persimmons) |
| Meat & meat substitutes | eggs, peanut butter (2 Tbsp/day), poultry, fish, lean ground beef | fibrous meats (steaks, roasts, chops), dried beans, peas, lentils |
| Fats & oils | any type of fat, but only in small amounts | none |
| Breads & grains | breads & cereals, cream of wheat, pasta, white rice, egg noodles, low-fat crackers | oatmeal, whole grain rice, cereal, bread |
| Vegetables | vegetable juices (tomato V-8), well-cooked vegetables without skins (acorn squash, beets, carrots, mushrooms, potatoes, spinach, summers quash, strained tomato sauce, yams) | all raw vegetables, cooked vegetables with skins: beans (green, wax, lima), broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, corn, eggplant, onions, peas, peppers, pea pods, sauerkraut, turnips, water chestnuts, zucchini |
| Sweets & desserts* | hard candies, caramels, puddings & custards made from skim milk, frozen yogurt, fruit ice, gelatin, ice milk, jelly, honey, syrups | high-fat desserts (cakes, pies, cookies, pastries, ice cream), fruit preserves |
| Beverages | Gatorade*, soft drinks* (sipped slowly throughout the day), coffee, tea, water (note: non-caloric beverages should be limited if patient cannot maintain adequate caloric intake) | all others, except allowed juices |
| *Concentrated sweets | ||
| Sample Menu Step 3 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
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| Morning Snack | Afternoon Snack | Evening Snack |
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| This Sample Diet Provides the Following | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 1,822 | Fat | 42 gm |
| Protein | 75 gm | Sodium | 2,234 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 286 gm | Potassium | 2,467 mg |