January 18, 2021
A gastric bypass diet helps individuals who are recovering from gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy to heal. It includes healthy meals and is designed to help patients’ stomachs heal faster without getting stretched by the food. Patients can also get used to eating smaller quantities so that they can safely and comfortably digest and avoid potential side effects of the surgery. Although diet recommendations after gastric bypass may vary depending on the individual’s situation, it follows a staged approach to help patients get back to eating solid foods after weight-loss surgery. Continuing further on the topic, let’s discuss some dietary habits to adopt post gastric bypass surgery. Read on!
Liquids
After a day of gastric bypass, patients must only take clear liquids such as water. Once they can handle clear liquids, they can start taking other liquids including broth, skim or one percent fat milk, unsweetened juice, decaffeinated coffee or tea, and sugar-free popsicles or gelatin. A liquid diet is the first stage of a gastric bypass diet plan as weight loss doctors seek to provide enough bandwidth for the stomach to heal and get ready to digest pureed food.
Pureed Food
After following a liquid diet for a week, gastric bypass patients can start eating pureed or strained foods. The food must have the consistency of a thick liquid or smooth paste without any solid pieces. They can eat three to six small portions in a day and each meal should include four to six tablespoons of pureed food. Some of the foods that are recommended are lean ground meat, cooked cereal, poultry or fish, cottage cheese, soft fruits, strained cream soup, and cooked vegetables. They can be blended with water, broth, sugar-free juice, or skim milk.
Soft Foods
After a few weeks of pureed foods, patients can start adding soft and tender foods to their diet. It is recommended to eat three to five meals in a day and each portion should consist of a third to half a cup of food. They must chew each bite until it gets pureed in the mouth before swallowing. Some pureed food items allowed during this stage are eggs, flaked fish, poultry and ground lean meat, cottage cheese, rice, cooked vegetables, and soft fruits.
Solid Foods
After about eight weeks following a gastric bypass diet, individuals can start eating firmer foods three times a day. Each meal should consist of 1 to 1-1/2 cups of food. Depending on how their stomach tolerates solid food, they can vary the size and number of meals a day. Some foods to avoid at this stage include bread, raw vegetables, carbonated drinks, red meat, tough meats with gristle, cooked fibrous vegetables such as cabbage and celery, nuts, popcorn, and fried foods.
Diet Tips
- To avoid dehydration, it is recommended to drink 64 ounces of fluid a day.
- Sip liquids between meals. Avoid drinking anything 30 minutes before and after the meal.
- Drink and eat slowly to avoid dumping syndrome.
- Include lean and protein-rich foods in diet
- Eat foods that are low in sugar and fat
- Avoid alcohol and caffeine
- Include mineral and vitamin supplements daily
- Chew food thoroughly until it is pureed in the mouth before swallowing.
Wrap Up
A gastric bypass diet plan can help you recover from the surgery faster and maintain a healthy weight. It is always advisable to consult your weight loss doctor before starting on the diet after surgery. To know more about gastric bypass in Fort Worth, Texas, talk to the DFW Bariatrics and General Surgery in Dallas. To get answers to all your questions or book an appointment, call us at 469-620-0222 or fill our contact form.