Ostomy Friendly Nutrition and Diet

Adjusting your Diet after ostomy surgery

Following your surgery, it’s important to adjust your diet to support healing and ease digestion. Here are some key dietary guidelines:

Foods to Include:

Low-Fiber Foods

Start with easily digestible foods, as recommended by your healthcare professional:

• Refined Grains: White bread, white rice, and white pasta.
• Cooked, Peeled, and Seedless Vegetables: Potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, lettuce.
• Peeled and Seedless Fruits: Ripe bananas, honeydew, cantaloupe, seedless watermelon.
• Canned Fruits: Apricots, peaches, pears.
  

High-Protein Foods

Essential for wound healing:

• Lean Proteins: Eggs, tofu, skinless poultry, fish.
• Smooth Nut Butters: Peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, walnut butter.
• Low-Fat Dairy: Skim milk, nonfat yogurt, cheese.
  

Hydration

Stay hydrated with:

• Water, pulp-free fruit or vegetable juice, broth, sports drinks, decaf tea, or coffee.

Foods to Limit:

• Raw Vegetables: Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, artichokes.
• Raw Fruits with Skin: Apples, grapes, strawberries, plums, pears.
• Legumes: Lentils, beans, chickpeas.
• Whole Grains: Buckwheat, barley, rye, quinoa, brown rice.
• Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, cashews, macadamia nuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds.
• High-Fat Dairy: Whole milk, full-fat yogurt, butter, ice cream.
• Spicy Foods: Jalapeños, curries, hot sauce, hot peppers.
• Fried Foods: Chicken wings, bacon, fried fish, mozzarella sticks, donuts.
• Carbonated Beverages: Soft drinks, seltzer water, club soda, sparkling water.

Useful Resources

• Comforting Ostomy Friendly Recipes
• UOAA Eating with an Ostomy Guide