After your successful weight loss surgery, you need to eat foods that are high in protein but are easy for you to digest. Foods containing the highest quality protein are beef, chicken, turkey, lamb, eggs, cheese, pork, seafood, fish, shellfish, veal, and liver. Every ounce of these high-quality protein foods has 6 to 8 grams. A 3-ounce piece of chicken breast, for example, contains 21 grams of protein.Processed meats, however, such as hot dogs, bologna, salami, liverwurst, deviled ham, and others, are not high-quality protein foods. A 2-ounce hot dog, for instance, contains only 5 to 7 grams of protein. In addition, processed meats contain large amounts of fillers such as sugar and starches that may possibly cause dumping syndrome. They're also high in fat and sodium. Some of these foods have a rubbery texture that increases the chances of sticking. You can eat deli meat, but only sparingly because of the high sodium content, and choose meats that are highest in protein, such as turkey breast, ham, and top round roast beef.
Other foods high in protein include dairy products, such as cheese and milk. One 8-ounce glass of milk, for instance, may have as much as 13 grams of protein. Eggs are also high in protein, with 6.5 grams. Eggs can be fried, hard-boiled, poached, scrambled, or prepared as omelets or egg salad, but you may find that certain preparation methods work better than others for you. Everyone is different, so while a hard-boiled egg may work for you, it may not work for your friend.Beef
For easier consumption, beef should be cooked medium to rare. Medium is a warm, pink center, and rare is a cool, red center. When overcooked, beef loses its moisture and becomes tough, chewy, and nearly impossible for the gastric bypass patient to swallow.Ground beef also becomes difficult to digest if overcooked. As a rule, ground beef should be cooked until it turns gray, not brown. Dry heat cooking methods are recommended for all cuts of beef. If moist cooking methods are used, such as stewing or braising, expensive cuts of meat are necessary and should be cooked at low temperatures for prolonged periods of time, up to eight hours, to ensure tenderness.
Poultry
After surgery, you may find that when eating poultry, you prefer dark meat (legs and thighs) to white pieces (breast and wings) because the darker pieces contain more moisture and are easier to chew and swallow. However, this doesn't mean that white poultry can't be eaten, only that it has to be prepared and cooked differently to maintain moisture.When preparing white poultry, thinner cuts are better, preferably only about a quarter of an inch thick. The thickness of the meat can be adjusted by using a meat cleaver to tenderize the piece. You can also ask the butcher to slice the raw breast meat into 1/4-inch slices.
Dry heat cooking methods are recommended for poultry. For thinner cuts (1/4-inch thick), sautéing is best. To sauté poultry, meat should be cooked for a minute and a half on each side in a preheated large skillet over medium-high heat. If the poultry isn't cooked through in 3 minutes, the pan wasn't hot enough or the meat was too thick. The number one reason why white-meat poultry is often too dry to eat is because it's overcooked.For thicker pieces of poultry, such as a whole bird or large cuts, rotisserie cooking, roasting, grilling, and baking are appropriate dry heat cooking methods. Cook white-meat poultry until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees, and dark meat to 185 degrees. Cooking to a higher temperature than necessary dries out the poultry, and lower temperatures may leave the poultry partially uncooked.
Leaving the skin on the poultry while cooking helps with flavor and moisture, but you shouldn't eat it. Skin is fat, and if consumed, you won't have enough room left in your pouch to eat the proper amount of protein. Marinating poultry in acidic marinades helps tenderize the chicken while adding flavor. And remember that leftover poultry can be used for cold salads.
Pork, lamb, and liver
Pork, lamb, and liver are excellent protein sources and most tender when cooked in dry heat. Pork and lamb are good meats to marinate and can be cut up and used in stir-fries or placed on skewers and grilled over medium-low heat.Both American lamb and New Zealand lamb can be found in most supermarkets and some restaurants. American sheep are fed grains, whereas New Zealand sheep eat grass. For this reason, New Zealand lamb sometimes tastes gamy and is not as sweet or tender as American lamb.
Beef and chicken liver are very soft and can be made into fresh liver pâté or sautéed and seasoned. However, liver is very high in cholesterol, so consume in moderation. Lamb, liver, and pork can be used in any recipe where beef or poultry is recommended.
Fish and seafood
Fish (from fresh water or the sea) and shellfish such as shrimp, lobster, scallops, oysters, clams, and crab are excellent sources of protein that you will probably find easy to consume after weight loss surgery.Fish and seafood is best eaten fresh. Fish that has been frozen has less moisture and flavor. However, beware of fresh fish that smells fishy. Good fresh fish and seafood has almost no smell at all. Don't purchase or consume smelly or slimy fish.
Fish and shellfish may be cooked using moist or dry cooking methods, but moist methods tend to keep the fish and seafood moist while cooking. A popular cooking method for fish is poaching, which is submerging it into a flavored liquid, such as white wine infused with dill, and cooking just below the simmering point (approximately 185 degrees). Poaching is a quick and healthy way to infuse flavor into the fish and shellfish. Other popular cooking methods include grilling, sautéing, and broiling.Most cooked fish and shellfish can be used the next day for cold salad preparations.
FAQs
Avoid Red Meat for Several Weeks After Surgery
It will take about a month before returning to certain solid foods, and at least another few weeks after that before patients can be back to full solids. For the first two months after bariatric surgery, stay away from red meat.
Can I eat a hamburger after gastric bypass? ›
For gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and lap band patients, the key to fitting burgers into your weight loss lifestyle is to keep them low in carbohydrates. Two ways to accomplish that are to forgo the bun and skip sugary condiments like ketchup or BBQ sauce.
What foods cannot be eaten after bariatric surgery? ›
Here are eight foods to avoid after bariatric surgery:
- 1) Food with Empty Calories. ...
- 2) Alcohol. ...
- 3) Dry Foods. ...
- 4) Bread, Rice, and Pasta. ...
- 5) Fibrous Fruits and Vegetables. ...
- 6) High-Fat Food. ...
- 7) Sugary and Highly Caffeinated Drinks. ...
- 8) Tough Meats.
If a bite of a food that is too dry gets “stuck” and causes discomfort, get up and walk around for several minutes. If the food continues to be “stuck”, drink some water which will force the food down or cause it to come up. Either way, you will get relief from your discomfort.
Can you ever eat steak again after gastric bypass? ›
Why can't I eat red meat after surgery? You can, but you will need to be very careful, and we recommend that you avoid it for the first several months. Red meats contain a high level of meat fibers (gristle) which hold the piece of meat together, preventing you from separating it into small parts when you chew.
When can I eat pizza after gastric bypass? ›
If you frequently enjoy a slice of pizza, you may wonder, 'When can I have pizza after gastric bypass surgery? ' Fortunately, you do not have to eliminate pizza from your diet forever after a bypass surgery, but you should wait for at least 6 weeks before you can comfortably enjoy your delicacy.
Can you eat scrambled eggs after bariatric surgery? ›
The general rule is that immediately after surgery, you should have 2 weeks of liquids followed by 2 weeks of soft/pureed food before returning to solids. Liquids can include meal replacement shakes or soups and purees must include very soft foods such as overcooked veg, runny scrambled eggs or semolina.
What can you never do again after bariatric surgery? ›
Avoid the use of drinking straws, carbonated beverages, chewing gum and ice. They can introduce excess air into your surgically created pouch and cause discomfort. Avoid sugar, sugary foods and beverages, and fruit juices.
Why can't you eat salad after bariatric surgery? ›
Salads, with their raw fruits and vegetables, don't typically fit into the first three phases of the post-surgery diet. It's common to wait until the stabilization phase before incorporating salads into your meals. The adjustment period is essential, considering the changes in your digestive ability post-surgery.
What foods make you dump after gastric bypass? ›
Foods that are high in sugar are likely to cause dumping syndrome. This is because high amounts of sugar draw more water into the small intestine and can move gastric contents faster. High fat foods can also cause dumping syndrome in some people.
A gastric bypass diet follows a staged approach to help you ease back into eating solid foods. How quickly you move from one step to the next depends on how fast your body heals and adjusts to the change in eating patterns. You can usually start eating regular foods about 6 to 8 weeks after surgery.
How long does it take your stomach to fully heal after gastric bypass? ›
What is the recovery time from gastric bypass surgery? You'll likely spend a day recovering in the hospital, then a few weeks recovering at home before you feel ready to go back to work. You may need to avoid strenuous activity for up to six weeks, and it may take up to twelve weeks to resume a normal diet.
How long after bariatric surgery can I eat chicken? ›
At the start of the fourth week after bariatric surgery, patients can begin to introduce softer foods that are easier to chew, including cooked vegetables that aren't “stringy,” canned fruit, soft, cooked chicken, fish and eggs are encouraged in this stage.
Can I eat bacon 4 weeks after gastric sleeve? ›
You should avoid high-fat foods following your gastric sleeve surgery. These include fatty meats such as bacon and sausage, as well as high-fat dairy products such as cream and butter. You should also avoid processed foods that are high in fat, such as cookies and cake.
When can you eat deli meat after gastric bypass? ›
At four weeks post-op, you can begin to add additional meats to your daily diet. Choose meats such as thinly sliced deli meats, turkey, hamburger, boiled soft chicken, fish, tuna, salmon, cod, and halibut. Remember that chicken meats need to be very moist.
How long after bariatric surgery can you eat real food? ›
You can usually start eating regular foods about 6 to 8 weeks after surgery.
