A healthy diet after the surgery is very important to achieve optimal weight loss, a healthy body and a better quality life. Based of the Dietary Guidelines presented by the US Department of Agriculture, "Healthy Diet" is one that:

• Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products (such as cheese and yogurt);
• Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts;
• Is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.

1. Grains: This group provides starches and often is referred as "carbs". Make half your grains whole. Take a look at the ingredients list on the food labels and select the products that have whole grain (known as "good carbs") listed as the first ingredient. Take the least amount of processed carbohydrates.
2. Vegetables: Vary your veggies. Select different color fresh vegetables. This food group provides nutrients essential for health such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. After phase two of your surgery, that is, after the fourth week you can eat vegetables such as salads without pureeing or juicing. Avoid tough fibrous parts (for example, eat easy to chew broccoli florets instead of the tough stems). Avoid frying vegetables. Select healthier cooking methods such as steaming or baking.
3. Fruits: Focus on variety of fruits. Select different color fresh fruits. This food group provides nutrients essential for health such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. After phase two of your surgery, you can eat fruits without pureeing or juicing. You must peel the skins and chew well.
4. Milk: Get your calcium-rich foods such as dairy products. Select low fat options. Milk can be used easily after surgery during all three phases. Dairy products also contain good quality proteins which are essential for a healthy body. If possible, substitute milk for water in your soups to optimize daily calcium and protein intake.
5. Meat, poultry, fish, egg, nuts and beans: Get your protein and other essential nutrients from this food group. Select lean types of meats. Skin the chicken. Avoid frying. Eat fresh fish twice a week if possible (fish contains "heart-healthy" omega 3 fatty acids). Egg whites contain good quality protein and can be added to your soups to optimize protein intake after surgery .Beans contain starch and variety of minerals, vitamins and antioxidants as well as protein.

Reading food labels is a critical way to understand what you are eating and to improve your food selection during shopping. Diet classes offered at our office prior to your surgery will provide all the information you need to understand the food labels. Reading food labels is not difficult. You may also visit this free website: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/foodlab.html
Here is a sample food label:

US Food And Drug Administration: "How To Understand And Use The Nutrition Facts Label"

The recipes provided in this website are great food choices after your surgery. They contain a wide array of nutrients including vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, high quality protein and carbohydrates. For phase one (week 1-2), you need to make sure to thin your soups or drinks with milk or water. Remember in the first two weeks you should only take in nourishment that is thin enough to drink. During phase two (week 3-4), you can have thicker foods but make sure to puree your soups well until there is no pulp or stings left (strain if needed).

The best method of cooking vegetables is steaming (minimal effects on loss of antioxidants and vitamins). Therefore most of my recipes for soup preparation require steaming. To steam, simply put about 1/2 cup of water in the pot, place the steamer in the pot and put your vegetables on the steamer. Cover and turn the heat to medium-high. Once the water starts to boil, the steam would cook the vegetables. When the vegetables are tender, turn the heat off (for example, broccoli takes about 10 minutes of steaming to become tender). Immediately, rinse the veggies under cold water. This preserves the green color of the vegetables. The consistency of the soup must be like apple sauce. If your soup is too thick for the phase 2 after your surgery, you can thin the soup by adding a little milk to your soup. Milk powder can always be added to your broth or soups to improve the protein, calcium and other nutrients content.