High Protein Foods That Are Great For Gastric Bypass Patients

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High Protein foods are extremely important following Gastric Bypass Surgery. Following a major operation such as bariatric surgery, you will need to focus on recovering and healing. Extra protein helps support the body in this healing process and is really important for anyone who has undergone bariatric surgery.

Having the correct nutrition along with a high protein diet will ensure your body is able to heal and continue your weight loss journey in the best possible way.

After gastric bypass, major changes need to be made, such as only eating low fats foods. So how do you know which foods to eat and how do you find high protein low fat foods?

Today I am sharing 10 High Protein Foods which are great for gastric bypass patients and perfect for anyone wanting to lose weight by focussing on a high protein diet.

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What High Protein Foods Should I Eat After Gastric Bypass Surgery?

Following Gastric bypass there are a number of bariatric stages such as the soft food stage which you will need to go through before you can eat solid foods again. At each an every stage the main focus should be on eating healthy high protein foods which can help you feel fuller for longer and help you to focus on your weight loss goals.

During the liquid food diet stage you can drink milk and blend fish, lentils and turkey to create protein broths and soups. You can read more about this in the Gastric Bypass Diet Guide For Eating After Gastric Bypass Surgery.

But where do you find protein and how do you find high protein low fat foods? Read on to find out!

High Protein Foods List For Weight Loss

Whether you’re about to have bariatric surgery or whether you’re well on your way and looking for a reminder, here are high protein foods you can eat after having gastric bypass surgery.

Dairy Products

• Eggs – especially egg whites
• Cottage Cheese
• Feta Cheese
• Ricotta Cheese
• Greek Yogurt

Nuts & Seeds

• Almond Butter
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Peanuts

Meats

• Skinless Chicken Breast
• Turkey
• Fish
• Lean Pork
• Lean Beef

Other

• Lentils
• Squash
• Soy
• Beans

All of these foods are low in fat and high in protein. They will help your stomach heal faster and they’ll increase your body’s lean muscle mass.

Following a gastric bypass you will lose weight faster than you would on an everyday healthy eating plan with no weight loss surgery.

When the body loses fat at a pace faster than expected or it is used to the body will begin to use up muscle in addition to fat. This is one of the reasons it is so important to eat high protein low fat foods.

High protein foods will help restore and maintain your muscle mass whilst you lose fat. So what is the best source of protein on a high protein diet?

High Protein Food Powders

After bariatric surgery, you’ll have to watch your protein intake carefully. One way to get plenty of protein is with high protein food powders which can be added to shakes and smoothies.

There are a number of different of types of protein powder, so this is one area where do need to be careful and make the right choice.

Try to avoid cheaper products which often give you a runny shake or taste very sweet. I personally find high protein food powders containing whey protein isolate ideal, as they are easy to digest and don’t upset my stomach.

Whey protein is fast digesting and ideal for bariatric patients. Whey protein isolate is the purest form of whey, which means it digests quickly.

The faster you get essential amino acids into your body after bariatric surgery, the better. This is because they help to stimulate muscle growth and repair tissue in the stomach more rapidly than slower digesting proteins.

High Protein Foods After Bariatric Surgery

At the end of the day, protein-rich foods are very important for weight loss success and following a gastric bypass operation and finding lots of protein based foods to enjoy is one of the key factors to your success long term.

Below are a few items which may be useful once you begin your Bariatric Journey.

If you’re heading over to the losers bench you will need a good set of scales, a medic alert band stating your a Gastric Bypass patient and my top recommendation would be the bariatric surgery portion control plate to help you get the right amount of protein onto your plate each meal.

What Bariatric Foods Are High In Protein?

One of the very best sources of protein for gastric bypass patients has to be seafood. Seafood is naturally low in fat and is an excellent source of protein for the body.

One of the best fish options you can eat is Tuna. Check out our tuna Burgers Recipe!

Tuna is a high protein fish and has between 26 to 29g of protein per serving.

Tuna has a lot of micronutrients including vitamin A, Vitamin C, D, B12 and B6.

Tuna is a good source of Iron, magnesium and also contains calcium.

Other fish options which have around 23g of protein per 10g are salmon, halibut, snapper tilapia, swordfish and cod.

Fish is an excellent source of dietary protein and can really help you on your weight loss journey.

Sources Of Protein For Vegetarians

Whilst lean meats such as chicken and high protein foods such as fish are a great food source to eat after gastric bypass surgery, not all people want to or choose to eat meat.

This leaves the question, what are the best protein sources for vegetarians, those who eat plant-based foods, or vegans?

It is very important that you follow your gastric bypass diet after surgery in order to avoid complications and to ensure that you’re losing weight during those first few months after surgery.

So if for some reason you need alternative protein options, you may want to consider the following.

• Broccoli. 1 broccoli stalk contains 4.3 grams of protein.
• Asparagus. 1/2 cup of asparagus contains 2.8 grams of protein.
• Bok Choy 1 cup of Bok Choy contains 4.1 grams of protein.
• Red Pepper (Capsicum) 1/4 pepper contains 0.9 grams of protein.
• Spinach. 1 cup of spinach contains 2.9 grams of protein.
• Sweet Potato 1 medium potato contains 4.1 grams of protein.
• Sweet Corn. 1/2 cup of sweet corn contains 2.4 grams of protein.
• Cauliflower. 1/4 cup of cauliflower contains 0.7 grams of protein.
• Quinoa. A cup of quinoa contains 8 grams of protein.
• Apricots. 10 dried apricots contain 2.3 grams of protein.
• Sunflower Seeds 1/4 cup contains 6 grams of protein.
• Chickpeas 1/4 cup contains 5 grams of protein.
• Almonds A quarter cup contains 6 grams of protein.
• Hazelnuts A quarter cup contains 4 grams of protein.
• Tangerines. 1 tangerine contains 0.7 grams of protein.
• Tomatoes. 1/4 cup of tomatoes contains 0.9 grams of protein.
• Celery. A stalk of celery contains 0.6 grams of protein.
• Green Beans 100g contain 3 grams of protein and 60 calories in total .
• Black Beans. A quarter cup contains 6 grams of protein.
• Lentils. 1/4 cup contains 9 grams of protein.
• Navy Beans 1/4 cup contains 7 grams of protein.
• Kidney Beans 1/4 cup contains 7 grams of protein.
• Pinto Beans A quarter cup contains 8 grams of protein.
• Chickpeas & Lentils . 1/4 cup contains 9 grams of protein.
• Peanuts A quarter cup contains 8 grams of protein.
• Peanut Butter. 1 tablespoon of peanut butter contains 2 grams of protein. (This would need to be low fat and eaten within moderation)
• Tofu and Soy based products such as a soy protein shake. 1 cup of soy milk contains 10 grams of protein.
• Edamame. 1/2 cup contains 12 grams of protein.

High Protein Foods After Bariatric Surgery

At the end of the day High Protein foods are very important for weight loss success following a gastric bypass operation and finding lots of protein based foods to enjoy is on of the key factors to your success long term.

You may find these articles useful

• Gastric Bypass and the Pureed Blended Diet – Stage 2 
• 10 Soft Food Tips After Gastric Bypass – Stage 3 
• Gastric Bypass Surgery Lessons and Tips

Below are a few items which may be useful once you begin your Bariatric Journey.

If your heading over to the losers bench you will need a good set of scales, a medic alert band stating your a Gastric Bypass patient and my top recommendation would be the bariatric surgery portion control plate to help you get the right amount of protein onto your plate each meal.

About Angela Milnes

Angela Milnes is a Qualified Early Years Teacher who has specialised in teaching. She has a wealth of experience teaching young children and adults. Angela has also taught cooking classes and loves to share both family recipes and easy instant pot recipes here on The Instant Pot Table. Follow her on Pinterest!