Download Digestive Health Center Nutrition Services Small Ways to Increase

Digestive Health Center
Nutrition Services
Small Ways to Increase Calories and Protein in the Diet
You will need to add extra calories and protein into your diet to help you:
Gain weight if you have lost weight
Heal and recover if you have injuries, wounds or had surgery
Transition to a diet if you are on TPN (nutrition through an IV) or tube feedings so
you can eventually get off these feeding regimens
It can be difficult to eat more at times when you have a loss of appetite and/or with
nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, early fullness, gas, bloating and/or cramping. Work with
your doctor and a dietitian to help you resolve your symptoms.
There are ways you can increase your level of eating even with small amounts of food.
Guidelines
See the table that lists the estimated calorie and protein content of common foods
(recommended serving sizes included). Content may vary between brands.
Add an initial extra 500-800 calories into your diet for now. Include the serving
sizes recommended for the common foods you may have in the diet to help you
do this. Eat more than this if you can.
For foods that may not be listed, also add small extra helpings of the foods you
currently eat at each meal. An extra TBSP or two really goes a long way.
Include protein with each meal and snack you eat. (High protein foods include
meats, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, tofu and nut butters)
Also…
Add new foods to your meals
Add an extra meal into your day. Aim to eat 3-6 small meals throughout the day.
Keep your favorite foods handy for easy access at work, while waiting in line etc
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Calorie and Protein Content of Foods
Use the list below to guide you on how to visually estimate your serving sizes.
1 cup= 1 fist
1 cup fluid= 8 oz milk carton, 240 ml, 16 TBSP
½ cup = 1 tennis ball
½ cup fluid= 4 oz juice box, 120 ml, 8 TBSP
1 TBSP= two thumbs placed together 3 ounce meat, poultry, fish= Deck of Cards
Foods
Calories
2-3 oz of ground beef, meatloaf, top pork loin, pork chop,
ground lamb, chicken (dark meat) with skin, ground turkey
2-3 oz lean round/sirloin steak, tenderloin, ham, lamb chop,
halibut, chicken/turkey (dark meat) with no skin, chicken
(white meat) with skin, salmon, sardines, tilapia,tuna in oil
1 large egg
Dairy
1 cup 2% low fat milk, Lactaid 2% low fat milk, 6 oz low fat
vanilla yogurt container
½ cup light ice cream, ½ cup frozen low fat yogurt
1 slice regular cheeses: american, cheddar, colby, swiss
½ cup low fat cottage cheese
1 oz regular cheeses: mozzarella, feta
2 TBSP regular sour cream, half and half cream, 1 TBSP
regular cream cheese
Meat, Non
2 TBSP peanut butter, almond butter
Dairy
1 oz almonds, cashews, peanuts, walnuts
Alternatives ½ cup cooked beans, lentils (any)
1 cup regular soy milk, almond milk, rice milk
½ cup tofu
Breads,
1 hamburger bun, English muffin, small bagel, 1 cup rice,
Pastas,
pastas, noodles, hot/cold cereals, six Saltine crackers
Cereals
½ pita, 1 slice bread, 4 inch pancake/waffle, 6 inch tortilla
Fruits,
1 large banana
Vegetables 1 small potato, ½ cup mashed potatoes, yams, marinara
sauce
1 whole fruit (small apple, peach, etc), ½ cup cut up fresh
fruit, canned fruit, applesauce
1 cup fresh vegetables, ½ cup cooked vegetables (any)
Desserts,
1 slice angel food cake, ½ cup regular pudding, sherbet
Snacks
3 graham cracker squares, 8 animal crackers
Beverages
1 cup fruit juices (any)
1 cup tomato juice, V8 juice
Condiments ½ avocado, 2 TBSP regular ranch salad dressing
2 TBSP regular Italian dressing
3 TBSP hummus
1 TBSP honey, jam, jelly, maple syrup
1 TBSP butter, margarine, regular mayonnaise, oils
4 TBSP salsa, 2 TBSP ketchup
150-225
Protein
(grams)
14-21
110-165
14-21
75
120
5
8
135
100
90
75
45
4
7
14
7
1
200
165-185
125
90
75
160
7
4-7
7
4-7
7
6
80
105
80
3
2
3
60
0
25
130
80
140
50
150
85
70
60
100
20
2
3
3
0
2
0
0
3
0
0
0
Meats,
Poultry,
Fish, Eggs
Resources: USDA National Nutrient Database and Exchange Lists for Meal Planning (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)
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TIPS: for Adding Calories and Protein to Foods
Meats, poultry, fish and eggs
Add leftover cooked meats to soups, casseroles, pasta etc
Make gravy from leftover meats or poultry
Add hard boiled eggs to soups, noodles, sandwiches, meat and poultry dishes
Dairy
Shred cheese and add to eggs, crackers, sandwiches, baked potatoes, cooked
vegetables, soups, pasta, meat, poultry and fruit
Use milk or Lactaid milk when cooking hot cereals and soups
Blend ice cream or yogurt into your smoothies
Meat/Dairy Alternatives
Add tofu to various soups, casseroles and entrees
Use creamy nut butters to mix into smoothies or spread on breads or fruit
Bread/Pastas/Cereals
Eat cereals, waffles, pancakes or French toast at anytime of the day
Add pasta or noodles to your soups
Add bread crumbs to chicken or fish
Fruits/Vegetables
Pair up fruit with dairy such as cut up melon with low fat vanilla yogurt
Blend fruit such as bananas or berries into hot cereals, pancake mixes
Add high calorie vegetables such as potatoes or yams to soups, meat and
poultry dishes
Condiments
Melt butter or margarine into your foods, such as hot cereals, soups, pastas,
vegetables, etc
Sweeten your foods with honey or jam
Spread avocado and mayonnaise into your sandwiches
Beverages
Include high calorie beverages such as milk and juices with and between meals
Not for reproduction or publication without permission
Direct inquiries to Digestive Health Center at Stanford Hospital and Clinics
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NS 6/2012