Diet for Gastric Sleeve

Sleeve gastrectomy is one of the most common bariatric surgeries. According to statistics, it allows getting rid of 60-80% of excess weight in two years and managing healthy weight in the future. Besides, banded gastroplasty shows a pronounced antidiabetic effect for type 2 diabetes. But one should remember that a positive impact depends on following a proper diet. A good gastric sleeve surgery diet and the correct preparation for the surgery are two main components of success on the road to a slim body and good health.

Post-op gastric sleeve diet

There is no doubt that the best diet for gastric sleeve patients is the diet for the rest of their lives. It is important to understand that longitudinal gastrectomy changes your diet, and this process is irreversible. It may be challenging for your self-discipline, so you should be ready.

The diet implies the consumption of a low amount of carbs and fats, so a balanced nutrition, including foods high in protein, is preferable! However, it doesn’t mean that you should follow the same diet you had after the surgery during a year. Please remember that after gastrectomy, the stomach becomes about 10 times smaller, and a fresh scar takes time to heal.

In the first weeks after surgery, there is a high risk of early postoperative complications, including:

• peritonitis
• internal hemorrhaging
• gastrointestinal fistula
• thrombosis
• inflammatory process

Stage 1

Your diet at the first stage after the surgery will be similar to the diet before the surgery. You need to follow a liquid diet after gastric sleeve, which contributes to better healing of the postoperative scars and preventing possible complications. Smaller portions won’t let your stomach stretch. You can consume the following foods:

• broth
• sugar-free jello
• sugar-free juices
• decaffeinated tea and coffee
• sorbet without sugar

Please remember that fizzy liquids are forbidden at this stage because they may cause bloating.

Stage 2

The next gastric sleeve post-op diet stage allows for the introduction of textured meals into the diet. However, these meals should have a delicate texture and contain a high percentage of water! For example, you can make puree from vegetables and fruit. You should avoid vegetables high in fiber, including broccoli or other varieties of cabbage.

Perfect choices for you are:

• applesauce
• bananas
• pears
• peach
• pureed carrots
• spinach
• pumpkin
• cottage cheese
• protein yogurt
• beef
• chicken
• baby foods

You can use a blender to puree fresh or cooked foods. Also, avoid spicy food or try seasoning carefully because it may upset your stomach.

You still can’t drink carbonated drinks because your stomach is not stretched enough, and you should avoid sugar. Also, it is forbidden to wash down food without chewing it; each bite you take should be chewed at least 25 times.

Stage 3

No rush is the main principle of your vertical gastric sleeve post-op diet. Of course, it is important for all stages, but the third one allows introducing more textured food. You can move to this stage only if your doctor decides that you are ready because haste leads to postoperative complications.

Meals should be soft and portions – small. It is recommended not to introduce two new products in one day, so that you can track your stomach’s reactions.

At this stage, it is important to introduce into your diet the following foods:

• canned fruit
• soft vegetables (boiled or steamed)
• steamed or baked white fish
• ground beef or minced chicken
• mashed potatoes
• soft-boiled egg
• soft noodles

We recommend not to use too much seasoning at the third stage. Also, we highly encourage avoiding sugar, cellulose-rich vegetables, bread, and cereals.

Stage 4

At this stage, your gastric sleeve recovery diet slowly transforms into your usual diet. It is assumed that this stage shapes healthy eating habits for the rest of your life.

This stage is really challenging because many patients remember their old habits of an unhealthy diet while limitations are kept to the minimum. However, some rules still should be preserved, including:

• eating 4-6 times a day in small portions
• thorough chewing of food
• eating only if you are hungry
• drinking not less than 1.5l of water per day
• cutting out high-carbohydrate snacks (snacks, chips, seeds, popcorn, etc.)
• the gap between food intake and drinking water
• focus on high-protein foods
• avoiding fried foods, sweets, and sodas

These habits are expected to stay with you for the rest of your life. Your ability to follow this diet after gastric sleeve operation and eating balanced food for many years is the key to an excellent result of gastrectomy!

Relevant article

What is FODMAP Diet, and When is It Necessary?