Patient Education Materials

	Patient Education

Patient Education - N

Dumping Syndrome Diet

Dumping syndrome sometimes happens after stomach surgery. Dumping syndrome is caused by large amounts of food passing quickly into the small intestine. This causes symptoms like abdominal pain, cramping, nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, weakness, rapid heart beat, and fatigue. This diet will help stop the symptoms of dumping syndrome.

Tips to help relieve symptoms

Everyone tolerates foods differently. Avoid foods that you know cause you problems.
Eat small, frequent meals (at least six times every day). See sample menu on the last page.
Do not drink liquids with your meal. Instead, drink liquids at least a half-hour to an hour after eating solid food.
Avoid simple sugars such as sweets, candy, soda, cakes, and cookies.
Lie down as soon as you finish eating. This reduces the symptoms of dumping syndrome by slowing the emptying of food from the stomach.
Avoid foods that are very hot or very cold. These can trigger symptoms.
Tell your doctor if you lose any weight.
Note: dairy products such as milk, cottage cheese, ice cream, and pudding may cause diarrhea in some people after surgery. You may need to avoid milk products at first and then try them in small amounts as you advance your diet.

Dumping syndrome diet

Breads, Cereals, Rice and Pasta

Foods To Choose

Foods to Avoid

6-11 servings each day
One serving equals: 1 slice bread, 1 cup ready-to-eat cereal
- 1/2 cup cooked cereal, rice, or pasta

breads, bagels, rolls, unsweetened cereals, pasta, potatoes, rice, crackers, and soup (only if taken one hour after solid foods at a a medium temperature).

sweet rolls and doughnuts
sweetened cereals
pancakes and waffles with syrup
soup (taken with solid foods)

Fruits

Foods to Choose

Foods To Avoid

2-4 servings each day
One serving equals: 1 medium size fresh, 1/2 cup canned, 3/4 cup juice

all fresh fruit
drained, unsweetened canned fruit
unsweetened frozen fruit
100 percent pure juice (taken one hour after meals)

canned fruits in heavy syrup
sweetened frozen fruit
sweetened juice (that is, punch or sports drinks)
candied fruit

Milk and Dairy Products

Foods To Choose

Foods to Avoid

Limit to 2 servings each day
One serving equals: 1 cup milk or yogurt

plain or unsweetened yogurt
skim, 2 percent, or whole milk (taken one hour after meals)

milkshakes and chocolate milk
sweetened yogurt

Meats, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Peas, Eggs and Cheese	Foods to Choose	Foods to Avoid
2-3 servings or a total of six ounces daily One serving equals: 2-3 ounces cooked meat, chicken, or fish (about the size of a deck of cards) or 1/2 to 3/4 cup cottage cheese or tuna fish or one egg, 1/2 cup cooked beans, two tablespoons peanut butter, or one ounce of cheese. Choose leaner cuts of beef and meat and limit the amount of high-fat items like eggs and cheese.	all meat, fish, poultry, peanut butter, cheese, eggs, and dried beans or legumes	any not tolerated

Vegetables

Foods to Choose

Foods to Avoid

3-5 servings each day
One serving equals: 1 cup raw, 1/2 cup cooked or chopped

all vegetables

any not tolerated

Fats, Condiments and Beverages	Foods to Choose	Foods to Avoid
	all butter, margarine, cream, oil, and salad dressings salt, herbs, spices, and condiments any sugar-free beverage (coffee, tea, diet soda, etc., taken one hour after solids)	sweet pickles or relish sweetened drinks (regular lemonade, soda) any others not tolerated

Snacks, Sweets, and Desserts	Foods to Choose	Foods to Avoid
	sugar-free gelatin sugar-free pudding sugar-free candy sugar substitutes	sugar candy and chocolate cakes and cookies ice cream and sherbet honey, syrup, and jelly sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, xylitol, and mannitol

Sample menu

Breakfast	1/2 grapefruit 1 slice toast 1 egg 1 teaspoon margarine 1 cup 2 percent milk (60 minutes after meal)
Snack	2 oz. cheese and 6 crackers 1/2 banana
Lunch	2 oz. hamburger on a small bun with lettuce and tomato 1/2 cup fresh fruit salad tea (60 minutes after meal)
Snack	1/2 turkey sandwich with mayonnaise
Dinner	1/2 chicken breast 1/2 cup brown rice 1/2 cup broccoli 1 small apple 1 cup 2 percent milk (60 minutes after meal) 1 to 2 teaspoons margarine
Bedtime Snack	2 tablespoons peanut butter on graham crackers

Revised November 2010