Gastroenterology Diets

What is it?

Physicians often recommend gastroenterology diets to help diagnose or reduce the severity of gastroenterological issues. The following diets, which are prescribed by physicians, will clean the digestive tract and improve the value of his or her exam:

  • Clear Liquid Diet. Liquids you can easily see through – water, broth, and plain gelatin – because they are easy to digest and don’t leave residue in the intestinal tract.
  • Gastroesophageal Reflux (GERD) Diet. GERD is a digestive issue caused when stomach acids back up into the esophagus. The GERD diet relieves many of the symptoms associated with GERD, such as chest pain and heartburn, the feeling of food being stuck in the throat, and a sour taste in the mouth. The following foods should be eliminated to ease GERD symptoms:
    • Fatty or fried foods
    • Caffeine-containing beverages
    • Desserts
    • Strong foods and spices (raw onion, garlic, curry)
    • Tomato-based foods

Consult your physician for a complete list of foods to avoid.

  • Gastroparesis Diet. Eating in a way that helps encourage food’s movement through the digestive system. This includes eating smaller meals more frequently and eliminating foods that are hard to digest, such as those that are fatty and fibrous.
  • Gluten-free Diet. Removing from the diet foods that contain barley, wheat, and rye and including foods that are high in prebiotics, such as garlic, onions, asparagus, jicama, bananas, and leeks.
  • High Fiber Diet. Eating foods that contain soluble (dissolves in water) fiber to promote regularity and nourish good gut flora. These carbohydrate-rich foods include fruits, vegetables, legumes, barley, and oats. Also eating insoluble fiber (retains water) to help create bulkier stools. These foods include wheat, rye, and other grains.
  • Lactose-free Diet. The sugar lactose is found in a variety of foods, most notably dairy foods. Eliminate this food sugar to reduce bloating, diarrhea, and cramping.
  • Low Oxalate Diet. Helps lower oxalate levels in the body to reduce the formation of kidney stones, which are crystallized minerals that develop in the kidney walls.
  • Low Protein Diet. To reduce kidney and liver stress. High-protein foods are replaced with foods that are high in complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains.
  • Low Sodium Diet. Keeps the body from retaining too much fluid, which can cause edema and make breathing difficult.