High Protein Foods for Gastric Bypass Patients

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. 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-fat 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 focusing on a high-protein diet.

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

Following Gastric bypass, there are several bariatric stages 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 are about to have bariatric surgery or whether you are well on your way and looking for a reminder, here are ten high-protein foods you can eat after having gastric bypass surgery.

• Eggs
• Skinless chicken
• Cottage cheese
• Beans
• Turkey
• Fish
• Lean pork
• Yogurt
• Lentils
• Squash
• Soy

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 while losing fat. So what is the best source of protein on a high protein diet?

What Bariatric Foods Are High in Protein?

One of the very best protein sources for gastric bypass patients is 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.

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, and 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 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 great food sources 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 or vegans?

You must follow your gastric bypass diet after surgery 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.
• Spinach.
• Sweet Corn.
• Cauliflower.
• Apricots.
• Tangerines.
• Black Beans
• Quinoa
• Chickpeas & Lentils
• Tofu and Soy based products such as a soy protein shake
• Peanut Butter. (This would need to be low fat and eaten within moderation)

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 one of the key factors to your success long term.

You may find these articles useful:

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

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

If you are heading over to the losers bench you will need a good set of scales, a medic alert band stating you are 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.

Good luck with your gastric bypass journey.