Bariatric Surgery: Importance of Protein, Vitamins and Mineral

When your stomach only holds one cup of food, it can be a challenge to get all the nutrients you need for optimal health. A week after your operation, you will probably be asked to start taking a chewable daily multivitamin. You will continue this for the rest of your life. Approximately one month later, calcium in the form of calcium citrate with vitamin D will be added to your nutritional regimen. Other vitamins and minerals often needed are iron, B12 and folate. These will be determined based on lab values from your routine check-ups.

Since you only eat about ten bites of food per meal, you must make them all count. It is critical to consume food containing high amounts of protein first at each meal. A minimum protein goal is 60 grams or about 240 calories from protein per day. Protein allows you to preserve muscle mass and maintain hair and nail growth. Good sources of protein include:

• Meats and beans
• Fish, including tuna
• Cottage cheese
• Eggs
• Tofu
• Yogurt and other lowfat milk products.