Author:
Miloni Sancheti (RD)
Bariatric Nutritionist and Diabetic Educator
Bariatric/weight loss surgery is a life changing procedure. It is the only proven method for sustained weight loss in patients suffering from clinically severe obesity (BMI ≥ 37.5 kg/m2).
Almost all bariatric/weight loss procedures restrict the amount of food one can consume in one meal. This means that you need to eat small but frequent meals. So, now the question arises what must these meals include and how many calories can be had?
Protein is one of the most important nutrient and it is necessary to know which foods would be high in protein and will be the best for people undergoing bariatric surgery. In this blog I shall focus on protein supplementation after bariatric/weight-loss surgery.
Proteins are the building blocks of our body. They are required at cellular levels for almost all major bodily functions. Post bariatric/weight-loss surgery dietary intake decreases and thus it becomes even more important to select good sources of protein. Supplementation of proteins will also depend on other factors such as the medical condition of the patient, type of surgery, activity level, age, any history of liver and kidney disease etc.
In our practice we see a lot of patients who are vegetarians and obviously do not consume meat, chicken, fish and egg etc. In vegetarian patients, it is a bigger challenge to keep up with the protein intake post-surgery.
I have listed a few options that can be included in the diet plan of vegetarian patients post-surgery. Tofu, paneer, soya-bean, dals, curd, milk etc form a really good source of protein in vegetarians. One can also increase the daily protein supplementation by using protein supplements/shakes.
Here are a few recipes or tips to help vegetarian patients include protein in small quantity but good quality in their meals.
Dr. Aparna Govil Bhasker is an accomplished Bariatric Surgeon and Laparoscopic GI Surgeon. Extremely passionate about her field of specialization. She completed her MBBS and MS in General Surgery in 2006, from Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (MGIMS), Sewagram. Set up in 1967 by none other than the first health minister of India, Ms. Sushila Nayar, MGIMS is deeply rooted in Gandhian ethics. Read more
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