Post Bariatric Surgery Diet & Nutrition | UPMC (2024)

FAQs

What is the post op diet for bariatric surgery? ›

Avoid sugar, sugar-containing foods and beverages, concentrated sweets and fruit juices. For the first two months following surgery, your calorie intake should be between 300 and 600 calories a day, with a focus on thin and thicker liquids. Daily caloric intake should not exceed 1,000 calories.

Protein is one of the most important nutrients of concern for bariatric surgery patients. Since bariatric surgery reduces the capacity of the stomach to a very small volume, high-protein foods should always be eaten FIRST or you may become too full to eat them.

After your gastric bypass, high-fat meats like bacon, sausage, bologna, and salami should be avoided entirely. Not only are these types of meat fatty and high in calories, but they can also cause digestive issues due to their rich fat content. Eating high-fat meats can lead to more stomach discomfort and diarrhea.

You will need to make sure you are getting enough protein, vitamins, and minerals while you are losing weight quickly. Eating mostly protein, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains will help your body get the nutrients it needs. Protein may be the most important of these foods early after surgery.

Don't eat these foods

Don't eat soup with vegetables, noodles, rice, meat, or other chunks of food in it. Don't eat vegetables, bread, whole cereal and grain products, meat, chicken, fish, eggs, meat substitutes (nuts and nut butters, tofu, soy), hard cheese, oils, butter, or margarine.

Bariatric Surgery patients are able to incorporate bananas and other fruits back into their diet at five to six weeks after surgery, as the stomach needs to slowly regain the strength to digest fibrous foods.

Literature data show that patients who have undergone bariatric surgery are at risk for vitamin B12, thiamine, folic acid, and vitamin A, D, and K deficiency^[15-19]. These deficiencies in patients can be observed in a wide range together with systematic and neurological findings.

Without an adequate amount of proteins in the diet, the body can begin to show signs of a deficit. Increased Hunger: Cravings and poor food choices can be accelerated with irregular eating patterns and skipping meals. Unlike carbohydrates which provide the body with quick energy, proteins take longer to digest.

Products made with whey, casein or egg whites have a higher PDCAAS and DIAAS than pea, rice or collagen-based products. Just after bariatric surgery, it is best to choose a whey, egg or casein-based supplement to ensure you are getting all essential amino acids and adequate protein.

Afterward, your doctor will introduce solid foods gradually, and months later, you can incorporate a small piece of pizza on your menu.

What foods make you dump after gastric bypass? ›

You are more likely to have dumping syndrome if you eat a meal heavy in starches or sugars. The sugars can be either fructose or table sugar (sucrose). Insulin levels can increase to high levels, and then lower your blood sugar too much.

While most Bariatric patients will experience little to no hunger after the procedure, that's not always the case. Still feeling hungry is normal and can be caused by a number of reasons, such as too few calories, dehydration, or psychological triggers.

The 20:20:20:20 rule

Chew every mouthful of food 20 times. Put cutlery down for 20 seconds between mouthfuls. Take about 20 minutes to eat a meal. Don't take more than 20 pence piece sized mouthfuls.

That plan is called the 30-30-30 rule. It's a simple but catchy idea that encourages you to eat 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking up and then get 30 minutes of low-intensity exercise. The 30-30-30 rule now has millions of followers on TikTok.

Avoid rice, bread, raw vegetables, fresh fruits, and meats that aren't easy to chew, such as pork and steak. Ground meats may be easier to tolerate. Eat balanced meals with small portions. In the initial period after surgery, you may only be able to tolerate one to two tablespoons of food at a time.

Stage 1: Bariatric Clear Liquid Diet

This diet is designed to keep you hydrated without stressing out your stomach. At this time, you may be nauseous and fill up quickly. You will need to sip slowly on sugar-free, non-carbonated, caffeine-free clear liquids.

On the DASH diet, you will eat many vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. After bariatric surgery, we recommend patients limit their carb intake, but whole grains are full of good fibers that can help manage blood pressure levels. You should eat about 3 ounces of whole grains daily on the DASH diet.

During week three, you can add soft, pureed foods to your diet. Make sure to eat slowly and chew food thoroughly — at least 25 times, if possible. Any low-fat, sugar-free food that you can puree, including lean protein sources and nonfibrous vegetables, are acceptable.