Gastroparesis Diet – Questions, Suggestions, Tips

I would like to know what to eat and what not to eat... A diet plan would be great!!! Thank you Lel

It's not that simple...we, with Gastropaneisis, are different.. some can tolerate tomatoes, like me. But others not .. I can't tolerate yogurt.. others not.. but the real secret is eat small amounts ..cut up very small... very slowly....If it is Blended I can tolerate most anything... except Broccoli, cabbage, oranges are a problem too..
The problem is slow emptying...so to speed it up let gravity help. Cut up small, mash things, eat with a sauce on meats and vegetables...Snack with dried fruit, I can eat nuts so trail mix is good... Ice cream is wonderful...since we are usually slender.... Desserts work... Spend time at the table in conversation. ..or if alone, read something.. Don't gobble food and expect the body to do the rest. .. after eating stay seated straight. Don't eat anything 2 to 3 hours before getting in a bed where you are tilted ..30 degrees works for me...

Would like to have a list of what I can have to eat. And a diet plan. Thank you

@lel10 Start at the beginning of this post.. read oldest and newest and you will have the best answers. It is different from person to person. In general you will want to eat easily digested foods... which means low fiber ( that does not mean no fiber). High fiber foods tend to sit in the stomach a long time. You want to avoid the fibrous parts of foods... think stringy celery and stems of broccoli, cabbage and greens (turnip, mustard, collards, kale and spinach) and citrus fruits. Canned and cooked fruits can be digested better than fresh.. citrus fruits have a skin that would not be digested well. The fibrous parts can sit a long time in the stomach and cause bezoars. You can also search the internet for diet ideas.

Hi @lel10,
@fourof5zs is right. If you read through the messages of this discussion, you'll be able to create an incredible list of foods that work for most people. As @ken82 points out, everyone is different. You may find you can tolerate some things that others can't and vice versa.
You might also appreciate this list and video by Madelynn Strong, clinical dietitian at Mayo Clinic.

- Gastroparesis Diet Guidelines https://connect.mayoclinic.org/page/gastroenterology-and-gi-surgery/newsfeed-post/gastroparesis-diet-guidelines-1/

Lel10, have you had a consult with a dietitian who specializes in GI conditions?

I have had Gastroparesis for over 5 yrs now.. I am male ..82 yrs old.. slender ... but I don't have a protruding belly .. I am 5-10" and weigh 172.... even though I eat ice cream, trail mix, bananas, tomatoes, even carefully eating celery with peanut butter... for the bloating I take a couple or three papaya enzyme pills after eating... having some in the car as well as at home...It's not every meal that bloats me ...but the papaya pills relieve the pain in about 15 minutes.. I also take Gas-
x sometimes.. I look forward to drinking coffee.. 2 cups a day.. in the morning... I don't do much alcohol .. never beer... It is amazing how little we really need to eat to maintain our bodies.. I find adding honey, dried fruit, blueberries to oatmeal gives me a good start with an egg a couple times a week... I used to eat yogurt all the time but Gastroparesis for some reason has made that not tolerable anymore... Good Luck .. live life.. your brain is more important than your stomach to good guys... People who do not have Gastroparesis never will understand the constant battle .. every meal is a challenge... so good luck... walk your dog.. Ken

What kind of papaya enzyme pills do you take? I have a mentally disabled son who is 51 and can't really tell me if he has issues until they are really bad. I have thought about CBD oil and other possibilities but I like the natural idea.

I have Gastroparesis so eating is always a challenge... To relieve the bloating that occurs some of the time after eating I use an Over the Counter Chewable Papaya Enzyme with chlorophyll pill.. I chew 3 when needed after eating ... most health stores have these.. even Amazon.. The particular brand that I get seems to be made by American Health Inc in NY... when eating out with a friend I complained of the bloating problem... she reached in her bag for some and said they worked for her... I gave it a try ... and they worked for me as well... that is the only research I have done on it. The bottle says "the after meal supplement." I pills are small and easy to carry..

I presume that it's preferable to actually cook (not steam) the vegetables in boiling water. I've already tried it and it's actually it's better for me (it "burns out" more of the fiber so it's a little more "soggy"). Believe me, I like to steam better after all these years but now I gotta go back to "old school" method.

I’ve tried it both ways: cooking in boiling water and steaming. I’ve decided I prefer steaming although it’s not the normal way to steam - I steam the hell out of vegetables to get rid of the fibrous-ness! It takes a long time and really heats up the house which is nice in the winter but not in the summer. But steaming doesn’t work with broccoli no matter how long I steam it. So I’m going to buy some broccoli and try your old school boiling method. That’s how my mom cooked it and I loved it. Thanks for reminding me about that!