A stroke happens when a blood clot blocks blood flow to the brain or when a blood vessel bleeds into the brain. Eating well after a stroke is important in preventing a further stroke attack and also helps with recovery.

The best nutrition plan is to follow MyPlate, the new food guideline:

• Carbohydrates– whole grains, beans, legumes, fruits and vegetables.

• Protein– lean meat, beans, peas, nuts and seeds.

• Fats– low fat dairy, seeds, nuts, olive oil and walnut oil.

Ultimately, you should choose food that helps control blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and body weight.

At the American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference 2008, a preliminary observation study by Angela Besanger, RD, a nutritionist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, reported that a fiber-rich diet raises the chance of stroke recovery.

In the study, 50 participants were asked to recall how much fiber they consumed in a 24-hour period. The total consumption of total fiber, soluble fiber and insoluble fiber was correlated with stroke severity and recovery. The results showed that total fiber intake and insoluble fiber intake were linked to less-severe strokes and better recovery. No such association was observed for soluble fiber.

Therefore, a fiber-rich diet is important. The World Health Organization recommends 25-30g of total fiber a day, and that can come from 5-7 servings of fruit and vegetables plus whole grains.

Soluble fibers are fibers that attract water to form a gel and delay stomach emptying, and ultimately slow down digestion. Sources of soluble fiber are oatmeal, lentils, and most fruit.

Insoluble fibers are fibers that don’t dissolve in water. They add bulk to the diet, give a laxative effect and prevent constipation. Good sources of insoluble fiber are whole grains, brown rice, green leafy vegetables, seeds and nuts.


Here are five tips for eating well to enhance recovery after a stroke:

1. Eat High-Fiber Food
   Eat 5-7 servings of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds per day. Eat from a wide variety and in as many colors as possible. Strategies to increase fiber in your diet could be replacing chicken soup with lentil soup; eating an apple instead of drinking apple juice; replacing potato chips with popcorn; choosing raisin bran muffins over chocolate chip muffins.

2. Avoid Processed Food And Trans Fat
   Processed food is generally high in salt, sugar, saturated fat and trans fat. Trans fat increases the risk of further strokes and heart disease. The high salt content contributes to high blood pressure.

3. Cut Saturated Fat
   Reduce your intake of saturated fat from butter, margarine, fatty meat and fried food. Get good fats, such as Omega-3 from nuts, seeds and olive oil.Eat lean protein or, better still, plant-based protein. Remove skin from poultry, and all visible fat from meat.

4. Read Food Labels
   Learn how to read food labels. Watch out for the total dietary fiber, the nutritional facts and ingredients, such as trans fat, saturated fats etc.

5. Eat Food High In Antioxidants
   Research shows that food high in antioxidants helps to counter the free radicals that damage the brain cells in a stroke and helps with healing and recovery. Fruit and vegetables provide a natural source of antioxidants. Supplementation of antioxidants through extracts of super foods, such as pomegranates, green tea, grape seeds and marine pine bark can also provide a concentrated source.

Having a stroke is devastating and a long process of recovery is expected. Take care to eat well to prevent malnutrition and enhance recovery from a stroke.

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