What are the best meal replacement shakes for gastroparesis?

What are the best meal replacement shakes for gastroparesis?

A good gastroparesis meal replacement shake should provide the calories and nutrients your body needs, while being gentle on your stomach. So, what exactly should you look for? 

Nutrients

It is important to look for a balance of protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats.

– Prioritize meal replacements with 15+ grams of easily digestible protein like collagen or egg whites.

– Carbohydrates should come from sources that are low in fiber, such as oats or rice, to minimize digestive distress.

– You also want to find a product with healthy fats, which help promote nutrient absorption, from sources like hemp or nuts.

Try to avoid meal replacements with lots of added sugar, and be mindful of what ingredients you add, if any. Adding fruits and veggies, for example, is a great way to add nutrients to your meal replacement, but it also adds fiber, which can upset your stomach. 

Food additives

Many meal replacements are made with a cocktail of food additives like emulsifiers and thickeners. Ingredients like these can cause digestive issues and long-term gut health problems. If you suffer from gastroparesis, it is therefore important to choose a meal replacement with a short list of simple ingredients.

Allergens

While food allergies themselves do not cause gastroparesis, certain allergens may exacerbate symptoms. Pay close attention to how your meal replacement shake makes you feel, as it may contain ingredients like dairy or soy that you are allergic or sensitive to.

Advice from a registered dietitian

If you have gastroparesis, meal replacement shakes can serve as a valuable supplement to your diet. For instance, if a flare is preventing you from eating solid foods a meal replacement shake can provide the nutrition you need in a convenient and easily digestible form. Before you make changes to your diet, however, you should seek expert advice from a registered dietitian.

“Meal replacement shakes can be a nutritious and easily digestible alternative to a traditional meal for individuals with gastroparesis, especially during periods when symptoms limit food intake.” – Brittany Adelman, RDN

Packed with essential vitamins and minerals, meal replacement shakes can also offer much-needed nutritional support for people with gastroparesis. They can help bridge nutrient gaps and prevent deficiencies that can occur due to food limitations or difficulty with meal consistency. This, in turn, supports energy levels, immune health, and overall well-being.

Moreover, meal replacement shakes can be a convenient option for individuals with gastroparesis who have a hard time preparing traditional meals. Just like it is much easier to drink your calories than it is to chew them, it is much easier to make a shake than it is to cook a meal. If you are pressed for time or have physical limitations, the convenience of a meal replacement shake is hard to beat. 

drink wholesome makes the best meal replacement shakes for gastroparesis

drink wholesome is additive-free

One of the reasons why we make the best meal replacement shakes for gastroparesis is that we do not use food additives. Even small quantities of additives can cause painful side effects and long-term complications. Here is a list of the most common food additives in meal replacements:

acacia fiber, acacia gum, acesulfame potassium, artificial flavors, ascorbic acid, aspartame, calcium carbonate, carrageenan, cellulose gum, dextrin, dicalcium phosphate, dipotassium phosphate, erythritol, gellan gum, guar gum, gum arabic, inulin, locust bean gum, maltodextrin, mono- and diglycerides, ‘natural’ flavors, rice bran extract, rice dextrin, rice hulls, rosemary extract, silica, silicon dioxide, sodium alginate, sodium bicarbonate, soluble corn fiber, soy lecithin, sucralose, sunflower lecithin, tocopherols, tricalcium phosphate, xanthan gum, xylitol, zinc oxide

Food additives undergo a lot of processing, so much that they end up looking nothing like real food. This makes them hard to digest, which in turn gives your gut bacteria more time to ferment them. Fermentation produces gas, which can cause symptoms like bloating, flatulence, and stomach pain. Gas can also slow down the movement of food through your colon, causing constipation.

Sometimes, partially digested food additives pull too much water into your colon, or prevent it from absorbing enough water. This can lead to diarrhea. 

our ingredients: 

egg whites, almonds, oats, coconut, cocoa, monk fruit

the alternative:

SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, CANOLA OIL, MALTODEXTRIN, ISOMALTULOSE, SOLUBLE CORN FIBER, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, VITAMIN AND MINERAL PREMIX, CELLULOSE, NATURAL & ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, SOY LECITHIN, SALT, MONO & DIGLYCERIDE, XANTHAN GUM, SUCRALOSE

Regularly eating food additives can cause long term gut health problems too. For instance, certain food additives can disrupt regulatory pathways in your intestines, triggering the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Some food additives, especially artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols, can also alter the composition of your gut microbiome – the collection of microorganisms living in your gut. An altered gut microbiome is a leading driver of inflammation and linked to the onset and progression of chronic digestive diseases.

drink wholesome is dairy-free

Another reason why we make the best meal replacement shakes for gastroparesis is that we do not use dairy-based proteins like whey and casein. Whey and casein, which are byproducts of cheese and yogurt production, cause digestive issues because they contain lactose – a sugar most people cannot fully digest.

drink wholesome is made with real foods.

A final reason why we make the best meal replacement for gastroparesis is that we do not use protein concentrates or isolates. Almost all other meal replacements are made from one or both of these protein sources, which have been stripped of everything but the protein, including the enzymes, fiber, and other natural digestive aids that help you break them down. This not only makes them hard to digest, but may also disrupt the composition and function of your gut microbiome.