Special Diets and Therapeutic Nutrition Flashcards

Which dairy food is usually best tolerated by a resident with lactose intolerance?

Answer: Aged Swiss cheese

Hard, aged cheeses lose most of their lactose during aging, so most lactose-intolerant people tolerate them well.

A resident with gout is on a low-purine diet. Which food should be limited the most?

Answer: Beef liver

Organ meats such as liver are very high in purines, which the body breaks down into uric acid.

For long-term prevention of diverticular disease when there is no active flare, which diet is generally recommended?

Answer: High-fiber diet with adequate fluids

Adequate fiber and fluid keep stools soft and lower pressure in the colon, which helps prevent diverticula from forming.

Which sweetener must be avoided by a person with phenylketonuria (PKU)?

Answer: Aspartame

Aspartame contains phenylalanine, the amino acid that people with PKU cannot break down.

What is the key principle of a consistent carbohydrate diet for residents with diabetes?

Answer: Similar amounts of carbohydrate at each meal at regular times

Spreading carbohydrates evenly at consistent meal times helps keep blood glucose steady and lets medication work as expected.

Which practice helps prevent dumping syndrome after gastric surgery?

Answer: Drink fluids between meals rather than with meals

Drinking fluids between meals slows how fast food moves into the small intestine, and small, frequent, low-sugar meals help as well.

Which nutrient is most important to increase for a resident who has a pressure injury (pressure ulcer)?

Answer: Protein

Wound healing needs extra protein, along with enough calories and fluids, to rebuild tissue.