What are the best meal replacement shakes for gastroparesis?
Written by Jack Schrupp and reviewed by Ella McGonagle, M.S. Nutrition
drink wholesome makes the best meal replacement shakes for gastroparesis. It is additive-free, dairy-free, and made with real foods, not protein isolates – 99% of meal replacements fail to meet at least one of these criteria. This makes it perfect for people with gut issues and sensitive stomachs, as well as for people just looking for nutrition without the processing and added junk. If you suffer from gastroparesis, or any other digestive disease, order samples to see if our meal replacements are right for you.
★★★★★
“I have a sensitive stomach, so most meal replacement powders leave me with gas, bloating, constipation, and stomach pain, but not this one.” – Shon
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drink wholesome is the best meal replacement for gastroparesis.
What is gastroparesis?
Are meal replacements good for gastroparesis?
What are the best meal replacement shakes for gastroparesis?
Why drink wholesome?
What is gastroparesis?
If you have gastroparesis, which means partial paralysis of the stomach, your stomach does not empty as fast as it should. Symptoms include heartburn, nausea, vomiting, and feeling full while eating, sometimes after only a few bites. Diabetes, which can damage nerves in your stomach, is the most common known cause of gastroparesis. Other possible causes include viral infections, abdominal surgery, and certain medications. In the long term, gastroparesis can lead to malnutrition, weight loss, and bacterial overgrowth.
Although many people with gastroparesis look to diet for answers, there is no such thing as a gastroparesis diet. This is because the severity of gastroparesis varies from person to person. Gastroparesis is also not a static condition, and symptoms can vary from week-to-week or even day-to-day. It is therefore important to find a flexible diet that works for you.
Are meal replacements good for gastroparesis?
During a gastroparesis flare, you may only be able to stomach liquids, which is where meal replacement shakes come in handy. A good meal replacement shake can help you get the calories and protein you need without causing symptoms. Meal replacement shakes also allow for portion control. It can be difficult for individuals with gastroparesis to know how much food their stomach can tolerate at one time. Meal replacement shakes allow for controlled portions, reducing the risk of symptoms. That said, not all meal replacement shakes are created equal.
What are the best meal replacement shakes for gastroparesis?
There are multiple explanations for why certain protein powders are more suitable for individuals with gastroparesis compared to others. To begin, the majority of protein powders contain emulsifiers, thickeners, artificial sweeteners, and flavors. Added ingredients like these are notorious for causing painful side effects and causing long-term gut health issues, particularly for people with gastroparesis. If you suffer from gastroparesis, it is therefore advisable to choose a protein powder made with a short list of simple ingredients. Keep reading to learn more.
Why drink wholesome?
drink wholesome is additive-free.
One of the reasons why we make the best meal replacement for gastroparesis is that we do not use food additives. Most other meal replacements contain several additives, which can cause side effects, even in small amounts. This is especially true for individuals with existing gut issues.
Food additives look very little like real food, making them hard to digest. They consequently spend extra time in your digestive system, causing your colon to absorb extra water. This can lead to diarrhea. Partially digested food additives also feed your gut bacteria, which release gas as they eat. Extra gas can give rise to bloating, flatulence, stomach pain, and even constipation.
Here is a list of the most common food additives in meal replacement powder:
acacia gum, acesulfame potassium, artificial flavors, aspartame, carrageenan, cellulose gum, dextrin, dextrose, erythritol, gellan gum, guar gum, gum arabic, inulin, locust bean gum, “natural” flavors, maltodextrin, rice syrup solids, soy lecithin, silica, sucralose, sunflower lecithin, xanthan gum, xylitol
Another reason to avoid food additives is their lasting impact on the health of your gut. Consistently consuming additives can interfere with regulatory pathways within your intestines, thereby increasing your chances of developing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other systemic inflammatory disorders. Food additives, notably artificial sweeteners, can also disturb your gut microbiome – the microorganisms that aid in food digestion. Emerging research indicates that an unbalanced gut microbiome is a key driver of inflammation in the body.
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
drink wholesome is dairy-free.
Another reason why we make the best meal replacement for gastroparesis is that we do not use dairy-based proteins. Many other meal replacements contain whey and/or casein protein, both of which come from the production of cheese and yogurt. These dairy-based protein sources often cause digestive complications, especially for the substantial number of adults contending with lactose intolerance. People with lactose intolerance do not have enough of the enzymes needed to metabolize lactose, the sugar present in dairy. As you are now aware, incompletely digested food can lead to painful gastrointestinal (GI) side effects.
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. Nearly all other meal replacements are made with one or both of these protein sources, which are foods stripped down to only the protein content. They are listed in the ingredients as “pea protein” or “whey protein,” rather than as “peas” or “whey.”
The production of protein concentrates and isolates involves significant mechanical and chemical modifications. Sometimes, chemical substances like hexane are utilized to extract the protein. Consequently, the shake you drink as a meal replacement bears only a faint semblance to real foods.
Your digestive system is meant to handle unprocessed or minimally processed real foods, not synthetic or heavily-processed ingredients. Eating anything other than real foods can give rise to complications, particularly among individuals with pre-existing GI conditions such as gastroparesis. While the long-term effects of consuming processed ingredients like protein isolates are not yet wholly understood, emerging research suggests that they can disturb the delicate equilibrium of the gut microbiome.
Beyond helping with digestion, the gut microbiome functions as a crucial defense against harmful pathogens, contributes to educating the immune system, and wields influence over numerous physiological processes. Disrupting the equilibrium of the gut microbiome has consequently been associated with the onset of various chronic diseases. In light of this connection, I strongly discourage consuming meal replacements made with protein concentrates and isolates.
Instead of using protein concentrates or isolates, we make the best gastroparesis meal replacement with real foods like egg whites and almonds. The egg whites are pasteurized and dried, while the almonds are merely roasted, pressed to remove some oil, and ground. These natural ingredients are gut-friendly alternatives to protein concentrates and isolates.
Unlike protein isolates and concentrates, real foods are equipped with enzymes and digestive aids that assist in the process of digestion. Furthermore, egg whites are alkaline, low in fiber, and low FODMAP, which makes them particularly easy to digest. Almonds, on the flip side, bring prebiotic qualities to the table, supporting the diversity of the gut microbiome. Almonds also promote regular and healthy bowel movements.
In short, we create meal replacements that are gentle on the gut using simple, real food ingredients.
★★★★★
“I’m 35 and have gastroparesis and IBS-C and these meal replacements have been nice, mainly because of the ingredients. It can be extremely hard to find a meal replacement that do not cause flareups because of so many unnecessary additives.” – Natalie
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drink wholesome is the best gastroparesis meal replacement.
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This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. drink wholesome is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.