What are the best foods to eat with a stoma and what can’t you eat with a stoma? It’s normal for ostomates to feel anxious about their diet, wanting to eat healthily and not cut out the things they enjoy whilst keeping their stoma happy. Some types of food may make your stoma more difficult to manage, for example by causing higher output, ballooning or blockages. However, it’s unlikely that you will need to drastically change your diet following stoma surgery. In this guide, we explore the best foods to eat with a stoma, including what foods may cause stoma problems.
This advice can be followed by people with a colostomy, ileostomy and/or urostomy.
Click to skip directly to a section of the guide:
- What are the best foods to eat with a stoma?
- What not to eat with a stoma
- What food causes stoma leaks?
- What food causes stoma blockage?
- What food causes a stoma bag to balloon?
- What food causes a stoma to smell?
- Food to prevent constipation
- General dietary advice for ostomates
- Best foods to eat with a stoma FAQ
- Further reading
What are the best foods to eat with a stoma?
If you have recently had stoma surgery, it’s best to eat soft, bland or low-fibre food to give your digestive system chance to recover – such as crackers or soup. You may have a reduced appetite, but it’s important to eat enough so that your body can heal. Eat little and often and include food that is high in calories and protein like full-fat dairy products (try adding cream to your soup), eggs, meat and fish. It’s important to move on to solid foods as soon as your healthcare team tells you to (this will change from person to person); often, the sooner the better for helping your stoma to start working normally.
As you recover from surgery, you can slowly introduce all the food that you enjoyed eating before. Try things in small amounts first and speak to your stoma nurse if you are worried. Remember – you don’t have to eat boring food because you have a stoma and just like anyone else, it’s important that you have a healthy, balanced diet. Particularly, if you have a urostomy, this shouldn’t restrict your diet much at all.
Certain food can be problematic when part of your digestive system is inactive. For example, vegetables can be hard to digest because they tend to be tough and high in fibre, especially raw leafy greens. Try well-cooked vegetables with their skins peeled instead (such as carrots or parsnips). While protein is an important aspect of your diet, large pieces of red meat such as steak are hard to digest, so lean mince or fish may be a better option.
Having said this, the best foods to eat with a stoma depends highly on you as an individual; most people with a stoma can eat anything they like without restrictions. Your best bet is to just try it!
What not to eat with a stoma
There are certain foods that have been reported by ostomates to cause problems which we will explore below. However, this is individual to every ostomate and there are no rules about what you can and can’t eat with a stoma. Your stoma type, reason for surgery and general health all play a factor.
It’s a good idea to keep a food diary and note down any symptoms that occur. Try every food at least twice to notice patterns, as there is a chance it was a one-off or caused by other factors (such as a bug if you had diarrhoea, for example).
What food causes stoma leaks?
Certain foods or a change in your diet can cause your stool output to increase or become looser, which may result in a leak. Find out more: Stoma leakage
Here are some foods that can cause loose or high-volume stools:
- Raw or undercooked fruit or vegetables
- Prunes/figs
- Wholemeal/wholegrain products
- Spicy food
- Fatty/greasy food
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
Caffeine and alcohol both have a diuretic effect, which means they cause you to pass more urine, so be mindful of this if you have a urostomy.
You can try eating these foods to reduce your faecal stoma output:
- Starchy food such as white bread, white rice, pasta, noodles or peeled potatoes
- Easy to digest fruit such as ripe banana, melon, peaches, mangoes or tinned pears
- Natural yoghurt
- Milk puddings
- Smooth peanut butter
- Apple sauce
Speak to your stoma care nurse if you are struggling with leaks or high output. It may not be caused by your diet and they can help you manage it.
What food causes stoma blockage?
A stoma blockage is when poo is prevented from travelling through the bowels as normal, causing stoma output to slow down or stop. This can be painful and cause the bowel to rupture if left untreated. Find out more: Stoma blockages
Poorly digested food is the main cause of stoma blockages. Here are some common culprits:
- Nuts
- Corn
- Raw fruit skin
- Dried fruit
- Pith, pips, stones and seeds
- Coconut
- Celery
- Rhubarb
- Mushrooms
You don’t have to cut these foods out of your diet, but be mindful of them. Whatever you eat, chew it thoroughly and slowly to give your body the best chance at digesting it, alongside drinking plenty of fluids. Why not try blending your fruit into a smoothie to make it easier to digest?
What food causes a stoma bag to balloon?
Some food causes gas production, leading to burping and farting. This can be problematic when you have a colostomy or ileostomy because, without an effective filtering system, it can cause the stoma bag to balloon. This can feel uncomfortable, make the bag more visible, and even cause the bag to come off. Find out more: Ballooning
But what food causes ballooning? Here are some foods that are well-known to cause wind:
- Beans
- Peas
- Sprouts
- Cabbage
- Onions
- Leeks
- Lentils
- Spicy food
- Fizzy drinks
- Chewing gum
These steps can help to reduce wind:
- Drink a peppermint drink.
- Eat natural yoghurt.
- Eat slowly with your mouth closed and chew everything thoroughly before swallowing.
- Eat regularly, without long gaps in between meals.
- Allow fizzy drinks to go flat before drinking them.
- Don’t drink through a straw.
What food causes a stoma to smell?
Certain foods cause more odour than others, making a bag change particularly unpleasant. Some foods that are known to cause odour (in colostomies, ileostomies and urostomies) are:
- Onions
- Fish
- Eggs
- Garlic
- Asparagus
- Cabbage
- Sprouts
Eating live yoghurt or peppermint products can help to reduce odour. To fight urine odour, you could try cranberry juice or parsley. You can also buy sachets, gels or sprays to put in your stoma bag to neutralise any smells.
Food to prevent constipation
Constipation can be worrying if you have a stoma, and may be a sign that you need to change your diet. Plus, thick output can cause pancaking. If you are struggling with thick output or constipation, try:
- Eating more fruit and vegetables
- Drinking more often (fruit juice may be particularly helpful)
- Swapping white bread, pasta or rice with wholemeal/wholegrain products
- Exercising.
Seek medical attention urgently if your stoma has been inactive for over 12 hours, as this could be a sign of a blockage.
General dietary advice for ostomates
- Drink regularly and limit caffeine and alcohol intake to avoid dehydration – as an ostomate you are particularly at risk. This is especially pertinent if you have a urostomy to avoid UTIs.
- Eat little and often.
- Having a smaller evening meal a bit earlier than you normally would may help if you struggle with high output at night.
- Generally, soluble fibre helps to relieve diarrhoea and insoluble fibre helps to relieve constipation. Find out more here.
- Chew everything slowly and thoroughly before swallowing.
- Eat carbohydrates with each meal (potatoes, pasta, rice, bread, cereals).
- Eat at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
- Eat protein every day (found in meat, fish, eggs, pulses, beans, dairy products).
- If you want to fast for religious or health reasons, check with a medical professional first. Read more: Can you fast with a stoma?
If you are finding your stoma unmanageable, speak to your stoma nurse or GP. They will be able to help by suggesting dietary changes or new stoma products for you to try, such as a seal. Don’t make drastic changes to your diet without speaking to them first.
Best foods to eat with a stoma FAQ
Yes, you can eat any sugary snacks you enjoyed before you had a stoma – in moderation of course.
Yes, you can eat curry if you have a stoma, but be mindful that spicy food can cause gas and odour, as can some of the ingredients commonly found in curry, such as garlic, onions, and lentils. You may find it easier to test with a small portion first.
Yes, you can drink alcohol when you have a stoma if you want to. Ostomates are at higher risk of becoming dehydrated, so remember to drink plenty of water. Just like anyone else, don’t overdo it because you may get a hangover that could be worse than usual due to dehydration. Alcohol in general can cause upset tummies and causes you to urinate more, so be prepared (for example, by taking extra stoma supplies with you if you are going out).
Yes, you can eat baked beans with a stoma. Be mindful that they can cause bloating and gas, and may make urine smell.
There’s no reason why you can’t eat your favourite pizza when you have a stoma. Just be aware that greasy food in general can cause tummy upsets.
You can eat any fruit you like with a stoma and it’s important that you include a variety in your diet, but be aware that seeds, pith, skin and pips can be hard to digest and can sometimes cause blockages. You may wish to remove these. Also, most fruit in general is high in fibre and may cause looser stools. Ripe bananas, mangoes, tinned fruit (in natural juices), peaches and melon tend to be easy on the stomach.
You can eat any vegetables with a stoma but some may be harder to digest than others. For example, raw vegetables and leafy greens are often reported by ostomates to cause issues, but you should test this for yourself before cutting them out of your diet. You may find that boiling, steaming, roasting or mashing your veggies before eating them helps you to get your 5-a-day while avoiding common stoma problems. If you have a urostomy, be aware that beetroot can turn urine pink, so don’t be alarmed if this happens!
Yes, you can eat porridge if you have a stoma. Oats are an example of soluble fibre which means they help to form and thicken stools and can help to relieve diarrhoea. They are also a carbohydrate and provide slow-release energy, making porridge an ideal choice for breakfast.
Further reading
Can you fast with a stoma? – Rhodes Pharma
Living with a stoma – Rhodes Pharma
Diet – Colostomy UK
Ileostomies and Eating Habits PDF – Ileostomy Association
High output stoma diet sheet – NHS
If you are a medical professional and are interested in finding out how StoCare products can help your patients or requesting a repeat sample order, please email info@rhodespharma.co.uk.
This information is for guidance and does not replace advice given by your healthcare professional.
