Nutritional
Considerations While on Corticosteroids
Side effects of prednisone and other corticosteroids
include increased appetite and weight gain, as well
as osteoporosis (porous and weakened bones). Appropriate
nutritional supplements while being treated with
prednisone include calcium and Vitamin D.
Meal Planning Suggestions
Weight gain is a side effect of prednisone regardless
of how much a person eats. However, since many people
on prednisone also have an increased appetite, they
may gain additional weight from overeating. This
weight gain may result in further difficulties with
mobility.
Therefore, recommendations for individuals taking
prednisone suggest following a healthy eating plan
to maintain your weight, avoiding excess weight
gain, and avoiding high blood sugar. It may be helpful
to develop an eating schedule, so that you won’t
overeat from becoming excessively hungry.
One of the culprits in this weight gain is fat.
Fat is a concentrated source of calories and can
add unwanted pounds quickly. Therefore, your intake
of fat should be limited (to less than 30 percent
of total calories consumed).
Furthermore, if you’re watching your weight,
you’ll want to limit your intake of sugar.
Sugar and concentrated sweets are usually high in
calories and low in vitamins and minerals.
Low-Fat, Low-Sugar Foods
| Breads: |
- whole wheat breads, long grain rice, whole
wheat tortillas, pita bread
- carrot/bran muffin, wheat English muffin,
wheat crackers
- granola bars without frosting,
rice or corn cereal without sugar
- fiber cereals, grain cereals without
frosting
|
| Meats: |
- lean turkey, fish, chicken, beef, pork,
tuna in water, eggs (no more than 3 per
week). These should be steamed, baked, broiled,
grilled, not fried.
|
| Dairy: |
- skim or 1 percent milk, low fat or nonfat
cheese, ice milk, low fat frozen yogurt,
lite cream cheese
|
| Vegetables: |
- all fresh or frozen that are unbreaded,
including starchy vegetables, such as peas,
lima beans, corn, squash, lentils, beans
- vegetable soups
|
| Fruit: |
- all fresh or frozen fruits
- Limit fruit juice to less than 4 ounces
per day.
|
| Fat: |
- low calorie salad dressing, lite mayo
- Limit to three teaspoons of added fat
per day.
|
Healthy, Low-Calorie Snacks
To decrease the hunger urge, consider between-meal
snacks with low-calorie, higher-fiber snack foods.
- raw veggies
- fresh fruit
- canned fruit
- dry cereal
- low fat crackers
- lite popcorn
- pretzels
- lite yogurt
- graham crackers
- open-face sandwich
- animal crackers
- ginger snaps
- fat-free pudding
- fruit juice Popsicle
- wheat tortilla
- cheese
Calorie-Free Foods
- broth
- club soda/soda water
- tea
- coffee
- chicory and grain coffee substitute (Postum)
- diet drinks
- sugar-free Kool-Aid
- sugar-free Jell-O
- pickles
- unsweetened cranberries
- celery
- unsweetened rhubarb
- sugar-free Popsicles
Calcium and Vitamin D
Adequate calcium and vitamin D intake may decrease
the possibility of developing osteoporosis. Since
many calcium-containing foods are dairy-based, dairy
foods chosen should be low in fat, to avoid excessive
calorie intake.
To ensure adequate intake of both calcium and vitamin
D, a vitamin supplement may best meet your needs.
Low-Fat Foods High in Calcium and Vitamin D
- milk
- yogurt
- ice cream
- cheese
- tofu
- cooked soybeans
- boiled white beans
- salmon
- sardines
- corn tortillas
- almonds
- broccoli
- calcium-fortified juice
- calcium-fortified bread
- calcium-fortified soy milk
- calcium-fortified health bars
- calcium-fortified cereal
- Instant Breakfast
Calcium Requirements by Age
mg = milligrams
| Age |
Calcium Requirements |
| 0-6 months |
210 mg |
| 7-12 months |
270 mg |
| 1-3 years |
500 mg |
| 4-8 years |
800 mg |
| 9-13 years |
1,300 mg |
| 14-18 years |
1,300 mg |
| 19-30 years |
1,000 mg |
Adapted from material of the Children’s
Clinic for Rehabilitative Services, Tucson, Ariz.,
2006.
Daily Meal Plan
| DAY |
1 |
2 |
3 |
| BREAKFAST |
1/2 c unsweet cereal
1/2 banana
1% milk |
1/2 bagel with jelly
mixed fruit
1/2 c yogurt or 1% milk |
English muffin
4 oz Jc
Jelly
1% milk |
| LUNCH |
Ham sandwich
8 crackers
Frt cup 1/2 c
Water |
Turkey sandwich
Carrot sticks
apple 1
Water |
1 c Soup
Salad
8 crackers
Water |
| SNACK |
Diet Drink
1 small Tortilla
1 TB peanut
1 sl cheese |
Diet Drink
1/2 c Cereal
Butter and
4 crax |
Diet Drink
Sugar Free/
3 oz 1% milk |
| DINNER |
Chick breast
1/2 c Rice
Salad/lite
dressing
Water or
4 oz 1% Milk
Flavored water
|
Steak
1/2 c Potato
Green Beans
Water or
4 oz 1% Milk
Flavored water |
1 sl meatloaf
1/2 corn
Carrots
1/2 c Beans
Water or
4 oz 1% Milk
Flavored water
|
| SNACK |
Fruit/Diet Jell-O |
Fruit/Diet Jell-O |
Fruit/Diet Jell-O |
Daily Meal Plan continued
| DAY |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
| BFAST |
1/2 c oatmeal
1 toast
1 fruit
1% milk |
1 small muffin
Fresh fruit
1/2 LF Cott cheese 4 oz jc |
Pancake 2
Low sugar syrup
1% milk |
Eggs (2)
Turkey bacon
1 toast
jelly |
| LUNCH |
PB & J sandwich
pretzels
1% Milk 8 oz |
1 sl Pizza
Salad
Diet Drink
Lite Salad dress |
Roast Beef Swch
fresh veggies
Diet Drink
Lite Salad Dress |
1 Lean Pocket
Banana
Diet Drink |
| SNACK |
Diet Drink
1 oz Cheetos
Low Fat Pudding
|
Diet Drink
1 Gogurt |
Diet Drink
1 cheese stick
|
Diet Drink |
| DINNER |
1 c Chili
Crackers
Salad/lite
dressing
Water or
4 oz 1% Milk
Flavored Water |
Pork Chop
1/2 c Potato
Salad/lite
dressing
Water or
4 oz 1% Milk
Flavored Water |
Cheeseburger
5 wedge fries
Salad/lite
dressing
Water or
4 oz 1% Milk
Flavored Water
|
1 Taco
1/2 c Rice +
1/2 c Beans
lettuce, tomato
onion
Water or
4 oz 1% Milk
Flavored Water |
| SNACK |
Fruit/Diet Jell-O |
Fruit/Diet Jell-O |
Fruit/Diet Jell-O |
Fruit/Diet Jell-O |
Daily Meal Plan continued
| DAY |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
| BFAST |
1/2 c unsweet cereal
1/2 banana
1% milk |
1/2 bagel w/ jelly
mixed fruit
1/2 c yogurt or
1% milk |
English muffin
4 oz Jc
Jelly
1% milk |
1/2 c oatmeal
1 toast
1 fruit
1% milk |
| LUNCH |
1 burrito
Salad
Lite Dressing
Diet Drink
Water
|
1 chzburger
lettuce/tomato
Grapes
Diet Drink
Water |
Turkey sdwch
Carrots
gram crax
Diet Drink
Water |
Ham Sdwch
Fruit
Carrots
Diet Drink
Water |
| SNACK |
Diet Drink
Popcorn
1 Tortilla
|
Diet Drink
1/2 cereal
W/ cheese |
Diet Drink
Pretzels
3 oz 1% milk
|
Diet Drink
1 oz Cheetos |
| DINNER |
1 c Spaghetti
3 meatballs
Salad
Lite Dressing
Diet drink, water
or 4 oz 1% Milk |
1/2 C Mac n Chz
3 oz Meat
Mixed Veggies
Fruit
Diet Drink or
Water |
Baked chicken
1/2 c Rice
Salad
Lite Dressing
Diet Drink or
Water
|
1 C Beef Stir Fry
1/2 C Rice
Broccoli
Fruit
Diet Drink or
Water |
| SNACK |
Diet Jell-O |
Diet Jell-O |
Diet Jell-O |
Diet Jell-O |
Daily Meal Plan continued
| DAY |
12 |
13 |
14 |
| BREAKFAST |
1 small muffin
Fresh fruit
1/2 LF Cott cheese
4 oz jc |
Pancake 2
Low sugar syrup
1% milk |
Eggs (2)
Turkey bacon
1 toast, jelly
4 oz 1% milk |
| LUNCH |
PB & J
8 crax
apple
Diet Drink
Water
|
Quesadilla
salsa
Fruit
Diet Drink
Water |
Hot Dog
Pretzels
Fruit
Diet Drink
Water |
| SNACK |
Diet Drink
Diet Pudding 1/2 c |
Diet Drink
1 Gogurt
|
Diet Drink
|
| DINNER |
1 Tostado
1/2 c Rice
Lettuce, Tomato
Diet Drink or
Water
|
1 sl Pizza
Salad
Lite dressing
Fruit
Diet Drink or
Water |
4 oz Turkey
1/2 c Mashed Potato
Steamed Vegetable
Fruit
Diet Drink or
Water
|
| SNACK |
Diet Jell-O |
Diet Jell-O |
Diet Jell-O |
Source: Children’s Clinic for Rehabilitative
Services, Tucson, Ariz., 2006.
Coping
with Corticosteroids | History of Corticosteroids
Also see “Not Always Smooth Sailing: Charting
a Corticosteroid Course,” Quest
Vol. 14 No. 3
|
