Specialized Diets

Laxative foods help to loosen bowel movements allowing stool to move through the bowel faster. These foods can be helpful in patients who have hypomotility or a slower moving colon. View the PDF.

Milk

• Food recommendations: High-fat dairy products

• Food to limit: Rice milk

Vegetables

• Food recommendations: All vegetables – especially raw

Fruits

• Food recommendations: All fruits with skin or peel on fruit juice with pulp, canned pineapple, prunes, dried fruit, jam, marmalade dried fruits

• Food to limit: Applesauce and apples without the skin

Starch, Grains

• Food recommendations: Whole-grain or seeded breads, whole grain pasta, brown rice, wild rice, rolled oats and other grains: barley, farro, kamut, quinoa

• Food to limit: Cereals, breads, crackers, pastas made from refined flours, white rice, pretzels, white potatoes(without skin)

Meat, Seafood, Legumes

• Food recommendations: Beans, fried or greasy meats, salami, cold cuts, hot dogs, meat substitutes

Fats, Oils

• Food recommendations: Butter, margarine, oils, fried foods

Sweets

• Food recommendations: Chocolate (especially dark)

• Food to limit: Sugar-free items

Beverages

• Food recommendations: Soda, juices, high-sugar drinks, Kool-Aid/ powdered drinks, caffeinated coffee and teas

• Food to limit: Sugar-free items

Miscellaneous

• Food recommendations: Seasonings and spices

The constipating diet can be done in two phases. In phase 1, your child will strictly eat constipating foods to control the watery stools and help slow down the bowel. The second phase will begin 24 to 48 hours after your child has not had any accidents and involves slowly adding fats. During phase 2, you will want to add a new food (one at time), every 2 to 3 days and closely watch to see if your child has an accident. View the PDF. 

Phase 1

Milk

• Food recommendations: Plain rice milk

• Food to avoid or limit: All others

Vegetables

• Food recommendations: None

• Food to avoid or limit: If vegetables are eaten, make sure they are cooked and not raw

Fruits

• Food recommendations: Applesauce, apples (without skin), bananas

• Food to avoid or limit: Avoid raw fruits without seeds or skins

Starch, Grains

• Food recommendations: White flour, refined flour bread, crackers, pasta and noodles, white rice, white potatoes (without skin), dry cereals

• Food to avoid or limit: All others

Meat, Seafood, Legumes

• Food recommendations: Baked/broiled/grilled/ well-done and tender meats, poultry or fish, lean deli meats, eggs, soy foods made without added fat, smooth nut butters

• Food to avoid or limit: Avoid beans

Fats, Oils

• Food recommendations: Non-stick spray, non-fat butter spray

• Food to avoid or limit: Limit butter, margarine, and oils, no fried foods

Sweets

• Food recommendations: Sugar-free gelatin, popsicles, jelly, or syrup, rice-milk ice cream

• Food to avoid or limit: All others

Beverages

• Food recommendations: Water, sugar free Gatorade, sugar-free Crystal Light, sugar-free Kool-Aid, Pedialyte, decaffeinated coffee or caffeine teas

• Food to avoid or limit: Avoid carbonates beverages, soda, juices, high sugar drinks

Phase 2

Milk

• Food recommendations: All milk products allowed, but limit to 16 oz. total per day

• Food to avoid: Any milk or cheese product (such as ice cream) with nuts or seeds, berries or dried fruit

Vegetables

• Food recommendations: Vegetable juice without pulp, vegetables which are well cooked, green beans, spinach, pumpkin, eggplant, potatoes without skin, asparagus, beets, carrots

• Food to avoid: Raw vegetables, fried vegetables, vegetables with seeds, also beets, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collard mustard and turnip greens, corn, potato skin

Fruits

• Food recommendations: Applesauce, apples (without skin), banana, melon, canned fruit, fruit juice (without pulp)

• Food to avoid: Fruit juice with pulp, fruit in heavy syrup, prunes, dried fruit, jam, marmalade, any fruit sweetened with sorbitol

Starch, Grain

• Food recommendations: Bread, crackers, cereals made from refined flours, pasta or noodles made from white flours, white rice, pretzels, white potatoes (without skin), dry cereal

• Food to avoid: Whole-grain or seeds breads, whole grain pasta, brown rice, oatmeal, bran cereal, wholegrain cereal and cereal made with seeds and nuts

Meat, Seafood, Legumes

• Food recommendations: Meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, baked, broiled or grilled are preferred cooking methods

• Food to avoid: Beans, fried or greasy meats, salami, cold cuts, hot dogs, meat substitutes, sausage, bacon

Fats, Oils

• Food recommendations: All oils, margarine, butter, mayonnaise, salad dressings. No more than 2 tbsp. of added fat per meal.

• Food to avoid: Chunky peanut butter, nuts, seeds, coconut

Sweets

• Food recommendations: Jelly, “Rice Dream” frozen desserts, sugar, marshmallows, angel food cake

• Food to avoid: Anything containing nuts, coconut, whole grain, dried fruits or jams

Beverages

• Food recommendations: Water, sugar free Gatorade, sugar-free Crystal Light, sugar-free Kool-Aid, Pedialyte

• Food to avoid: Juices, regular soda, regular Kool-Aid or powered drinks

Miscellaneous

• Food recommendations: Salt, sugar, ground or flaked herbs and spices, vinegar, ketchup, mustard and soy sauce

• Food to avoid: Popcorn, pickles, horseradish, relish, jams, preserves

General Rules to Follow

• Avoid raw vegetables. If you consume vegetables, ensure they are well cooked.

• Avoid carbonated drinks, chewing gum, beans, spicy foods and using a straw can cause cramps and produce gas.

• Limit sugar and added sweeteners such as refined sugar, honey, corn syrup, concentrated fruit juice, maple/brown/powdered sugar, dextrose, maltose, lactose, sucralose, sugar-alcohols such as xylitol and sorbitol.

Water soluble fiber is commonly used with medical regimens. This fiber will help maintain a good balance between stool frequency and consistency to help your child be continent. Soluble fiber is different from fiber found in the food we eat. When mixed with a liquid, soluble fiber dissolves to make a gel. For bowel management, it bulks up the stool as it moves through the colon. It can be found in the form of supplements like Citrucel, Metamucil, pectin and Nutrisource®. View the PDF. 

How Much Soluble Fiber to Take

Depending on your child’s condition, the amount of soluble fiber he or she takes will be different. Your practitioner will instruct you on how much to take. There are many different kinds of soluble fiber that can be found online, at the pharmacy or at the store (see chart below). It is important to get the sugar-free versions of these. Foods and supplements high in sugar can make stools looser and cause a reverse effect. These fibers are not usually covered by insurance. If you cannot find or afford the fiber, please let the nursing team know.

What should I give my child on a constipating diet?

Many families say taking fiber can be hard for their child. Get creative! Here are some tips:

• Mix it in any liquid, like water or juice, or in some foods, like applesauce or smoothies.

• Try different brands and flavors of powders.

• Visit brand websites for recipe ideas.

• DO NOT let fiber sit out for a long time before drinking it. It will get thick like Jell-O®.

• DO NOT use fiber gummies. They are not a good source of soluble fiber.

• Reach out to other families for tips and tricks that have worked for their children.

Dosing and Brands

Pectin (Sure-Jell®)

• Dosage and use: 1 Tablespoon = 2 gram of fiber

• Where to find it: Found in the grocery store in the jelly/canning section or online. Get the sugar-free version.

Citrucel®

• Dosage and use:

  • Powder: 1 Tablespoon = 2 grams of fiber

  • Capsule: 2 capsules = 1 gram of fiber

• Where to find it: Found in the pharmacy section of the store or online. You can use the generic or the brand name. Get the sugar-free version.

Metamucil® (psyllium husk)

• Dosage and use:

  • Powder: 1 Teaspoon = 2 grams of fiber

  • Capsule: 5 capsules = 2 grams of fiber

  • Wafer: 1 packet ( 2 wafers) = 3 grams of fiber

• Where to find it: Found in the pharmacy section of the store or online. Get the sugar-free version.

Nutrisource® (guar gum)

• Dosage and use: 1 Tablespoon (scoop) = 3 grams of fiber (Can be sprinkled on food or mixed in drinks)

• Where to find it: Found in the pharmacy section of the store, online or through homecare companies.