Casco Bay Surgery

10 Andover Road
Portland, Maine 04102
207-761-6642
www.cascobaysurgery.com

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Bariatric Surgery Program
 Post-Operative Nutrition Handbook

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Your Protein Intake

While you will eat fewer Calories than your body needs during this weight loss period, you still require the same amount of protein as usual. Failure to obtain enough protein can result in significant hair loss, which occurs from 3 to 6 months after the protein deficiency. Even if you are eating enough protein by that time, you could still lose hair if your intake of protein was too low after surgery. Other consequences of a low protein intake include poor healing, depressed immune system, weakness, and fatigue. You should try to obtain enough protein in your diet as soon as possible after surgery.

Your protein needs are ______________ grams per day. (The dietitian will fill this section out for you.)

To figure out your protein intake, use the “Nutrition Facts” section of the food label, which will list the grams of total protein per serving. If you eat only a part of what is listed as a serving, be sure to calculate how much protein was in the size portion you ate. For example, if the portion listed is one cup and that contains 8 grams of protein, but you only eat one-eighth of a cup, you have eaten 1 gram of protein. Grams are often abbreviated to “g.”

Foods high in protein are in the Dairy and Meat/Meat Substitutes groups on the food guide pyramid. Some foods are not required to have food labels. Here is a listing of various foods and the average amount of protein they contain:

Meat Group

Starch Group

1 oz meat

7 g  

most starches  1-2 g per half-cup or check label

1 oz poultry

7 g  

1 oz fish

7 g   Vegetable Group

1/3 cup beans

5 g  

¼ cup tofu

5 g

most vegetables   1-2 g per ½ cup

1 egg 

6 g  

2.5 oz jar baby food meat

10 g

Fruit Group

                  

Dairy Group most fruits contain 0 g protein  

1 cup milk

8 g  

Fat Group

1/3 cup non-fat dry milk powder

8 g

¼ cup cottage cheese

8 g  

1 tsp. butter, margarine       0 g

1 oz cheese

8 g  

1 tsp. oil or mayonnaise      0 g

1 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese

2 g   2 tsp peanut butter              3 g  
         

1 oz most nuts, seeds         7 g  

Protein Supplements

See labels for specific information

May contain 7-45 g protein/scoop or serving


The Bariatric Surgery Center
12 Andover Road
Portland, Maine 04102
(207)-761-5612
Toll-Free: (866)-268-9274
Fax: (207)-253-6073

These pages were created and are maintained by Casco Bay Surgery, PA
 Last updated 6/5/06