Discover 20 foods to avoid with an ostomy to help manage gas and unpleasant odors. This guide provides insights on how to make informed dietary choices while still enjoying your favorite meals.
Having an ostomy should never mean giving up your favourite foods. By making informed choices and avoiding certain foods, you can take control and manage issues like gas or foul odours.
Foods that May Cause Bad Odours:
- Eggs
- Broccoli
- Onions
- Garlic
- Alcohol
- Asparagus
- Cabbage
- Spicy foods
- Brussels sprouts
- Cauliflower
- Fish
Foods that May Cause Gas:
- Cabbage
- Onions
- Raw fruits
- Coffee
- Beer
- Beans
- Carbonated drinks
- Coffee
- Sprouts
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cucumbers
Additional Notes
You’ve probably noticed there’s a bit of an overlap between the two lists. Unfortunately, some foods can cause both gas and bad odours.
Additionally, while these aren’t foods, using straws and chewing gum may also increase gas in your pouch.
Finally, it may be worth keeping a food diary to note how your body reacts to certain foods. This list does not mean you need to put strict limits on yourself and what you eat. Rather, this list should be used as a guideline and starting point to evaluate how different foods affect you.
Source
By Erika Kana, RN, Content Writer, Ostomy Canada Marketing Team.
Erika Kana is a Calgary-based Registered Nurse and health content writer. She has experience in geriatric and medical-surgical nursing and specializes in emergency nursing. Her diverse nursing experiences have sparked an interest in wound and ostomy nursing. Erika regularly seeks out ways to learn more about ostomy management and research.
7 Responses
I have a urostomy. Can you provide information on this topic that is applicable to a urostomy?
Hello, just like a colostomy or ileostomy, certain foods can affect the odour of an urostomy.
These foods can contribute to urine odour:
Eggs
Cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale and Brussels sprouts
Onions
Alcohol
Asparagus
Fish
Baked beans
Some foods can help prevent odours:
Buttermilk
Cranberry juice
Parsely
Yoghurt
Again, use this list as a starting guide for incorporating different foods into your diet. Just because a food may contribute to urine odour does not mean you can never eat it. Just be mindful of how it affects you.
Source: https://www.convatec.ca/ostomy/living-with-an-ostomy/nutritional-advice-and-diet-tips/urostomy/
Thanks for the dietary tips. I’m laughing a little as that’s pretty much a list of what I eat, with a few exceptions. I will experiment with a food diary and pay more attention. salmon! I live in British Columbia! 😉
I am struggling so much with gas and odour.
It is very difficult to monitor my diet as well, though I am slowly learning to keep track of my dietary choices.
I really wish there was a support group I could attend in my area. (The Fraser Valley BC)
Hi, Im in BC too. Newly ‘bagged’.
Thank you for these helpful lists. I have reacted to those foods as you indicated. One other source of difficulty has been something I learned post-op while in rehab after a parastomal repair which is getting severed disarrhea from processed foods. I lost 14 lbs within the 3 weeks. One of the staff pointed that out as the probable cause. I have avoided them, for the most part, ever since. I welcome any comments.
Hello, knowing your body and what works for you is terrific. Thank you for sharing!