What foods should transplant patients avoid?
- Raw seafood like clams, oysters, sushi and ceviche.
- Raw, rare or undercooked meat, poultry and fish.
- Raw or undercooked eggs.
- Foods containing raw eggs like cookie dough or homemade eggnog.
- Unpasteurized milk and unpasteurized cheese.
- Unpasteurized cider.
- Bean and alfalfa sprouts.
For meat and protein-rich foods, choose:
Egg whites or cholesterol-free egg powder. Water-packed tuna Low-fat, low-sodium frozen dinners.
Limit intake of high fat dairy products (whole milk, ice cream, and custards). Choose low fat salad dressings, mayo, sour cream, and cream cheese.
If you are going to eat fruit and vegetables raw (such as in a salad or a smoothie/juice) wash thoroughly and peel if necessary. Milk and dairy products Milk should be pasteurised or ultra-heat treated (UHT). All cheese is safe to eat if cooked until piping hot or pasteurised.
Limit butter, margarine, red meat, fried foods, poultry skin, bacon, sausage, full-fat dairy products, eggs, mayonnaise and junk food. Choose skinless poultry and fish more often than red meat.
During the early stages after a transplant, while you're on higher doses of immunosuppressant medicine, you should avoid eating foods that carry a high risk of food poisoning, including: unpasteurised cheese, milk or yoghurt. foods containing raw eggs (such as mayonnaise)
Does tacrolimus interact with any foods or beverages? Avoid excessive intake of high potassium foods (bananas, oranges, orange juice, potatoes, spinach, etc). Do not eat grapefruits, grapefruit juice or any soda (Fresca) or fruit juice blend that contains grapefruit juice.
High levels of bacteria have been found in the following foods and it is recommended you avoid these. Unpasteurised cheese, e.g. soft ripened cheeses such as Brie, Camembert and blue vein type cheese such as Stilton and Danish Blue.
Choose low-calorie snacks, such as fresh fruit, low-fat cookies or crackers and unsalted pretzels. Remember, just because a food is "low-fat" does not mean that you won't gain weight if you eat too much. Continue to limit salt intake and high-sodium foods to control blood pressure.
Most foods and drinks are completely safe for you to take after transplant. Please AVOID grapefruit, pomegranate, pomelo, blood orange, and black licorice, as these can increase the amount of anti- rejection medication in your body and this could harm you.
What are the best foods for transplant patients?
Eat small frequent meals throughout the day and include protein with every meal. Good sources include poultry (chicken and turkey), fish, seafood, red meats and yogurt. Although high in cholesterol, eggs, nuts and dairy products such as milk and cheese are also good sources of protein.
Tip: You need to reheat hot dogs, deli meats, and luncheon meats before eating them because the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes grows at refrigerated temperatures (40 °F or below). This bacteria may cause severe illness, hospitalization, or even death.
