Gastric Bypass Patient Nutrition

Gastric bypass is a surgical weight loss procedure that is used in some significantly overweight people. The surgery creates a small pouch in the stomach and reroutes the intestines. This allows the patient to eat less food and to absorb only part of what he eats.

Significance

• Following gastric bypass nutritional guidelines after surgery is essential to lose weight and avoid potential medical complications.

Liquid Diet Phase

• Right after weight loss surgery, a patient can only drink approved liquids. Typical choices include clear broth, unsweetened juice, milk, strained cream soups, and sugar-free gelatin.

Pureed Food Phase

• Once the internal stomach staples have had time to heal, usually a few days after surgery, a person can start eating pureed food. For example, lean meats can be pureed with fat-free gravy.

Soft Food Phase

• For about one to three months after gastric bypass is the soft food nutritional phase. A patient can select items such as canned fruit, ground meats, and cooked vegetables.

Maintenance

• After about three months, solid foods can be reintroduced into a gastric bypass patient's diet. Foods to avoid include carbonated beverages, popcorn, nuts, seeds, granola, and bread products.