Can you eat salad after vsg?
In this short article, we will address the query, “Can you eat salad after VSG?”. We will also learn about what vsg is, the phases of vsg, what salad is, when to eat salad after vsg, and the tips to consider when eating salad with vsg.
Can you eat salad after vsg?
Yes, you can eat salad after vsg. However, after gastric bypass surgery, you must wait until your body has healed before eating salads, fruits, and green leafy vegetables again.
As the operation reduces the size of your stomach and reorganises your digestive system, you must plan your meals according to nutritional guidelines for portion size, fat, and protein.
What is vsg?
Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy, or Gastric Bypass Surgery, is a type of bariatric or weight-loss surgery that works by removing most of the stomach and restructuring the small intestines to prevent calorie absorption.
Within the first 24 months, patients shed 50 to 60% of their excess weight, and to avoid regaining weight, they must adopt long-term dietary and lifestyle modifications.
What are the phases of the post-VSG diet?
After the surgical procedure to reduce the size of the stomach, it is important to follow strict dietary guidelines to avoid regaining the lost weight. After vsg, the dietary rules come in different phases, including:
- Phase 1: VSG patients should start to drink clear liquids during the first 24 to 48 hours after gastric bypass surgery. Afterwards, you can consume sugar-free and caffeine-free complete liquids for the next 10 to 14 days.
- Phase 2: Patients should proceed to eat pureed or blended foods for 10 to 14 days.
- Phase 3: VSG patients can now continue with soft foods for another 14 days.
- And the last phase is when they move on to solid foods.
- Stabilisation phase, complete bariatric diet. You will be put on a four-phase diet right after surgery. The purpose of this stage following surgery is to let your pouch recover while you still eat enough protein to reduce weight and heal.
What is a salad?
A salad refers to any of several foods that fall into one of the following categories:
- Green salads are served at the start of a meal or as a side dish after the main course. All types of lettuce, garden cress, watercress, endives, cabbage, spinach, escarole, romaine, arugula, and fresh herbs are among the leafy vegetables that can be eaten raw. Tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, peppers, beets, or other raw or cooked vegetables may be used to garnish the green salad.
- Vegetable salads can be made with raw or cooked vegetables that have been marinated or sauced. Tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers, beets, and mushrooms are frequent ingredients.
- Salade Russe is a mayonnaise-based salad made of chopped cooked vegetables and potatoes.
- Salads made with rice, pasta, potatoes, dried beans, bulgur (cracked wheat), or other carbohydrates perform a similar function.
- Mixed salads with meat, poultry, or seafood. Mixed salads combine green, veggie, and carbohydrate salads to create a hearty dish. When meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, or cheese are added, the dish is transformed into a light entrée.
- Desserts are generally fruit salads with sweet sauces. Fruits can be added to green salads, and avocado, orange, and grapefruit go well with fatty meats like duck or hog. Traditionally, salads are served cold.
When can you start to eat salad after vsg?
You can start adding modest amounts of solid meals to your meal plan after around 8 weeks, but your new digestive system might not be ready for raw veggies for another month or so.
To avoid gas or other digestive issues caused by raw veggies’ high fibre content, start with small pieces of salad and chew them thoroughly. Eating 1.5 to 2.5 cups of fresh veggies each day should be part of your long-term eating strategy.
You will be on the final phase of your 4-phase diet around 12 weeks after the gastric sleeve. By this point, you should have reintroduced the majority of your foods and even resumed solid food consumption.
Salads, on the other hand, can be a little tricky. To avoid stomach difficulties, any fruits or vegetables you’ve eaten up until now should have been boiled until soft and any skin, seeds, or membranes removed.
Salads are more difficult to digest because they often consist of raw fruits and vegetables. Furthermore, your ability to digest foods has changed since you underwent bariatric surgery, and it will take some time for you to adjust.
What are some tips to consider when eating salads after vsg?
- Begin with a tiny side salad to get your feet wet. If a little salad goes smoothly and causes no gastrointestinal or other problems, opt for a slightly larger salad the next time.
- Chew each bite carefully before swallowing. As with any food after surgery, make sure you chew each bite thoroughly before swallowing to avoid GI and digestive disorders.
- Remember that your stomach is 80 percent smaller, so you won’t be able to consume an entire salad in one sitting. Even with a salad, don’t overeat.
- Increase your protein intake by adding grilled chicken or even hard-boiled eggs to your salad.
- Avoid dressings with a lot of fat. There are lots of low-calorie salad dressings to select from, so don’t grab for the ranch.
- You can also ask for the dressing to be served on the side so you know how much you’re using.
Conclusion
In this short article, we have addressed the query, “Can you eat salad after VSG?”. We have also learnt about what vsg is, the phases of vsg, what salad is, when to eat salad after vsg, and the tips to consider when eating salad with vsg.