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 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

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