When you have had gastric bypass surgery, you will need to follow a special diet to help your body recover and stay healthy. The diet will help you reduce the amount of fat and unhealthy food you eat, which will help you get the most out of your surgery and reduce your risk of health problems.
Your surgeon will give you a diet plan and a list of healthy foods to eat after your surgery, but in this article, we will look at what the best diet plan is and what foods you should avoid on your diet. This article will also give you tips on how to eat better on your diet.
Gastric Bypass Diet: Post Op
Phase 1: Clear liquid phase
Clear broth, decaf coffee, water, and electrolyte beverages are acceptable.
Phase 2: Pureed food phase
This phase requires that patients consume blended foods that can be consumed by drinking. Protein shakes, pureed fruit (with no seeds), apple sauce, Greek yogurt, and sugar-free puddings are okay to consume. Protein goals are paramount, and although it will be difficult to consume food at this stage, it’s important that patients aim for their protein goals.
Phase 3: Soft food phase
These foods do not require much chewing and can be easily digested by a recovering digestive system. Introducing scrambled eggs, ground meat, soft fish, cooked vegetables, and cottage cheese should be fine for most patients. Protein goals are still very important!
Phase 4: Reintroduction phase
In this phase, patients are asked to reintroduce foods one at a time and see how they tolerate them. Some foods will be easier to tolerate than others. Most surgeons will still recommend that patients avoid eating foods with too much fiber, carbonated beverages, and foods high in sugar or fat.
The Best Diet After Gastric Bypass Surgery
We recommend that patients eat a diet made up primarily of whole foods. These are foods that are recognizable as food and have been adulterated as little as possible.
These kinds of foods are what we recommend:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Tubers: potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams
- Legumes: beans, chickpeas, lentils
- Lean meats such as chicken breast and ground turkey
- Whole grains and foods with whole grains
- Fermented dairy products like yogurt and kefir
Curious what happens if you eat too much after gastric bypass? Read this article to learn more: What Happens If You Eat Too Much After Gastric Bypass?
What Foods Can You Not Eat After Gastric Bypass
Deep fried foods & other foods high in fat
While you will have a reduced ability to digest fat after gastric bypass, you still don’t want to consume high fat foods. High fat foods can cause severe abdominal pain, diarrhea, and acid reflux symptoms.
Spicy foods
Foods flavored with chili have capsaicin, which is an irritant that produces the burning sensations associated with spicy foods. These foods can make acid reflux symptoms worse and could be highly stressful for a recovering digestive system.
Alcoholic beverages
Alcoholic beverages should be treated as off limits during the recovery phase. What’s also notable is that due to the combined effect of weight loss and the changes that gastric bypass surgery makes to your digestive system, your tolerance for alcohol is likely to decrease significantly. This could put you at risk for alcohol poisoning.
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