BaileyBariatrics

There may be a flavor you love before surgery, but can’t tolerate after surgery. Check the store’s return policy if you decide to buy in bulk. You may able to return a protein product if unopened or you find you can’t tolerate it. Several protein powders are available in sample packs to have on hand. For multi-supplements, we ask you to use a chewable, liquid or powder form for a few months after surgery. Did you buy a 6-month supply of a multi-supplement in tablet form? If you have surgery before your 6-month supply runs out and money is tight, you can crush the tablet to powder form and add to protein drinks or soft foods like light yogurt when you can have them after surgery. Keep in your changing taste buds when you start stocking up your bariatric pantry.

After surgery, beef returns to the menu six months after surgery. Beef is a good source of protein, iron and zinc. We emphasize the low fat cuts of beef when you get to have them back in your diet to save calories and avoid saturated fat that can contribute to heart disease. After surgery, beef returns to the menu six months after surgery. Beef is a good source of protein, iron and zinc. We emphasize the low fat cuts of beef when you get to have them back in your diet to save calories and avoid saturated fat that can contribute to heart disease. The leanest, or lowest fat, cuts include any cut of beef that has the words “round” or “loin” in the name. These cuts include top sirloin, round steak, eye of round, tenderloin (ex: filet mignon), ground round or ground sirloin. Look for ground beef that is 90 percent lean or higher. Choose “select” cuts of beef over “prime” or “choice.” The select cuts have less fat than prime or choice cuts. Leaner beef can dry out and work best by using moist methods of cooking like stewing, braising, boiling and crockpot. Use a lid on your cooking dish if you microwave, sauté or stir fry to trap moisture. Dry cooking methods include grilling, broiling, roasting and baking which can dry out the beef. You can prevent beef from drying out by covering with a moist sauce or marinade like salsa, low calorie dressing or low fat or fat free yogurt mixed with herbs and spices. Beef, it really can be what’s for dinner!

Thank you for your comments. Beef is back on the menu six months after surgery for our patients at The Center for Bariatrics at Bailey Medical Center. We understand that some patients can tolerate beef earlier than what is recommended by our guidelines. Beef is no more special a Protein source than other meats like poultry, fish, seafood or pork. It does have more Iron than the other meats, which might help a patient whose iron stores are low. Beef is an option if you can tolerate it. This really speaks to customizing your meal plan to what works best for the patient.

After surgery, beef returns to the menu six months after surgery. Beef is a good source of protein, iron and zinc. We emphasize the low fat cuts of beef when you get to have them back in your diet to save calories and avoid saturated fat that can contribute to heart disease. The leanest, or lowest fat, cuts include any cut of beef that has the words “round” or “loin” in the name. These cuts include top sirloin, round steak, eye of round, tenderloin (ex: filet mignon), ground round or ground sirloin. Look for ground beef that is 90 percent lean or higher. Choose “select” cuts of beef over “prime” or “choice.” The select cuts have less fat than prime or choice cuts. Leaner beef can dry out and work best by using moist methods of cooking like stewing, braising, boiling and crockpot. Use a lid on your cooking dish if you microwave, sauté or stir fry to trap moisture. Dry cooking methods include grilling, broiling, roasting and baking which can dry out the beef. You can prevent beef from drying out by covering with a moist sauce or marinade like salsa, low calorie dressing or low fat or fat free yogurt mixed with herbs and spices. Beef, it really can be what’s for dinner!

Our goal is to help patients transition as quickly and safely as possible to more solid foods. A common report from our patients is that it only takes a small bite or two of solid food to feel full. That’s the point. You will feel more fullness with more solid foods. That is surprising after being on liquid and soft sources of protein for so long. Solid foods stay with you longer, which is another way of controlling calories as you transition to more solid food. Try a new food per day. Start with a soft version before moving to a more solid version. For instance, try a meatball made with ground turkey breast before you eat a slice of turkey breast. Try that same food for two to three days before you put in on your “safe” or “tolerated” food list. And always… chew, chew, chew to applesauce consistency.

I bet you didn’t think you’d see these two words - Valentine's Cheesecake - together in a bariatric nutrition tip, right? Regular cheesecake is laden with fat and sugar. This version can be a treat for Valentine’s Day that provides a good source of protein and some calcium. I bet you didn’t think you’d see these two words - Valentine's Cheesecake - together in a bariatric nutrition tip, right? Regular cheesecake is laden with fat and sugar. This version can be a treat for Valentine’s Day that provides a good source of protein and some calcium. As a bariatric patient, you don’t have much volume in your stomach pouch. That means that you need to pack in as many nutrients as possible when choosing your foods. This recipe can be used before the pre-surgery liquid diet begins or after surgery when you can have soft and pureed proteins. For RNY gastric bypass patients, that means one week after surgery. For sleeve gastrectomy patients, that means two weeks after surgery. This treat is not only good for your heart, but it’s also good for your muscles and bones. Equipment: Medium mixing bowl Hand or tabletop mixer Serving dish or container that will hold ½ cup (4 oz.) Yield: 6 (½- cup) servings Ingredients 4 oz. fat free cream cheese 16 oz. plain, non-fat Greek yogurt ½ package (1 oz) Sugar Free, Fat Free Jello Instant Pudding Use a flavor of instant pudding you’d like (chocolate, vanilla, cheesecake). 2-3 packets Splenda or other sweetener 4 oz. Cool Whip Free Directions Place cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl. Mix cream cheese and yogurt until smooth. Blend instant pudding with cream cheese and yogurt until smooth. Blend Splenda and Cool Whip with other ingredients until smooth. Spoon into ½ cup containers. Adapted from Spark People Recipes Nutrition Information per serving: Calories: 106 Fat: 0 gr Protein: 10 gr Carbohydrate: 12 gr Calcium: 85 mg Enjoy before you go on the pre-surgery liquid diet and after surgery when you can have soft/pureed protein.

I bet you didn’t think you’d see these two words - Valentine's Cheesecake - together in a bariatric nutrition tip, right? Regular cheesecake is laden with fat and sugar. This version can be a treat for Valentine’s Day that provides a good source of protein and some calcium. As a bariatric patient, you don’t have much volume in your stomach pouch. That means that you need to pack in as many nutrients as possible when choosing your foods. This recipe can be used before the pre-surgery liquid diet begins or after surgery when you can have soft and pureed proteins. For RNY gastric bypass patients, that means one week after surgery. For sleeve gastrectomy patients, that means two weeks after surgery. This treat is not only good for your heart, but it’s also good for your muscles and bones. Equipment: Medium mixing bowl Hand or tabletop mixer Serving dish or container that will hold ½ cup (4 oz.) Yield: 6 (½- cup) servings Ingredients 4 oz. fat free cream cheese 16 oz. plain, non-fat Greek yogurt ½ package (1 oz) Sugar Free, Fat Free Jello Instant Pudding Use a flavor of instant pudding you’d like (chocolate, vanilla, cheesecake). 2-3 packets Splenda or other sweetener 4 oz. Cool Whip Free Directions Place cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl. Mix cream cheese and yogurt until smooth. Blend instant pudding with cream cheese and yogurt until smooth. Blend Splenda and Cool Whip with other ingredients until smooth. Spoon into ½ cup containers. Adapted from Spark People Recipes Nutrition Information per serving: Calories: 106 Fat: 0 gr Protein: 10 gr Carbohydrate: 12 gr Calcium: 85 mg Enjoy before you go on the pre-surgery liquid diet and after surgery when you can have soft/pureed protein.

Once upon a time, eggs yolks were the bad guys in heart disease. What’s up with eggs, these days? So, what’s the good news? 70 calories. 13 essential vitamins and minerals. 6 grams of a high quality protein. All of the essential amino acids, which are the ones we have to eat because our bodies can’t make them. 210 mg cholesterol in the egg yolk. 5 grams total fat, mostly unsaturated. Zero carbohydrates. Less than 20¢ per egg. Once upon a time, eggs yolks were the bad guys in heart disease. What’s up with eggs, these days? So, what’s the good news? 70 calories. 13 essential vitamins and minerals. 6 grams of a high quality protein. All of the essential amino acids, which are the ones we have to eat because our bodies can’t make them. 210 mg cholesterol in the egg yolk. 5 grams total fat, mostly unsaturated. Zero carbohydrates. Less than 20¢ per egg. Brown eggs are not healthier than white eggs. Omega-3 fats are present only if the chickens eat a special diet. The yolk contains a robust array of nutrients that help with our health from when we are conceived to when we are old. Protein and nutrients in an egg can aid in muscle strength, brain development and function, weight management and eye health. Not bad for a food that’s about the size of your new stomach pouch after bariatric surgery. Research now points to genetic and lifestyle (nutrition, exercise, smoking) factors having a much greater impact on the development of heart disease than how much cholesterol from egg yolks you are consuming. Newer research indicates about a third of us need to limit cholesterol. Tracking your labs is a good way to find out if you should avoid eggs or enjoy them. Those with an egg allergy need to avoid eggs. Weight loss after bariatric surgery is one significant lifestyle change that improves cholesterol numbers. More information and recipes are available on www.incredibleegg.org or www.eggnutritioncenter.org. For bariatric patients, you can start having eggs again when you start the soft/puree foods. This means 1 week after RNY gastric bypass and 2 weeks after sleeve gastrectomy. Image: Incredibleegg.com - Easy Hard-Boiled Eggs

To view the comparison chart, please visit Sugar Blues Part 2 here: http://www.bariatricpal.com/page/articles.html/_/healthy-living/food-nutrition/sugar-blues-part-2-r336

True or False: If a product says no added sugar, it’s sugar free. That statement is false. It just means the manufacturer didn’t add sugar to a product that may contain naturally occurring sugar from milk (lactose) or fruit (fructose). Foods with natural sugars also provide other nutrients like vitamins, minerals, fiber and anti-oxidants that are healthy for us. A revision to the Nutrition Facts Panel may include added sugars, which will be a better way to determine what foods to minimize. This change won’t be for another year or so. True or False: If a product says no added sugar, it’s sugar free. That statement is false. It just means the manufacturer didn’t add sugar to a product that may contain naturally occurring sugar from milk (lactose) or fruit (fructose). Foods with natural sugars also provide other nutrients like vitamins, minerals, fiber and anti-oxidants that are healthy for us. A revision to the Nutrition Facts Panel may include added sugars, which will be a better way to determine what foods to minimize. This change won’t be for another year or so. For bariatric patients, eating too much sugar after surgery can lead to dumping. Sugar is considered “empty calories” because all you get is calories without the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants or fiber that are good for your health. Other problems from sugar include increased triglycerides, decreased HDL (healthy) cholesterol, increased respiration rate, fatty liver, increased blood sugars, cavities and weight gain. Research is beginning to link too much added sugar with heart disease, inflammation, gout and premature wrinkles. Recent research points to people consuming too many added sugars dying from heart disease at twice the rate as for people with low sugar intake, even if the diet is otherwise healthy. Obvious sources of sugar are the sweets: cookies, cakes, candy, ice cream, desserts and sugar sweetened pop. Sugar sweetened beverages like regular pop, sports drinks and energy drinks account for about a third of the added sugars we consume. Added sugars can also creep into your diet through condiments like catsup and barbeque sauce, salad dressings, canned tomato products, coffee drinks, pastries, smoothies, crackers and ready to eat cereals. When reading the ingredients label, look for words like anything that ends in “–ose” (sucrose, fructose, maltose, dextrose, xylose etc..), syrup, juice, agave, honey, molasses, caramel, corn sweetener, high fructose corn syrup, evaporated cane guide, cane sugar, brown sugar, barley malt, and beet sugar. You now have information about how to read the label to see if what you are eating or drinking has added sugars. Next week, you’ll find out how to compare products to determine how much added sugar is in something you are eating or drinking.

To find out how to compare products to better understand added sugars, click on Natural vs. Added Sugars. Use the chart on the second page as a guide to compare products.The chart compares applesauce and Greek style yogurt. You will see the products with only naturally occurring sugars, products with added sugars and “light” versions of the product. You will also see that the product with the most amount of sugar has the most calories.The front part of the food label usually doesn’t have any clues that the product can have a lot of added sugars. You must be a detective and investigate the Nutrition Facts Label and the ingredients list. Start your sugar hunt by using foods and beverages in your pantry or fridge to discover where added sugars are lurking in your food choices. Like any hunting expedition, it will take some time and practice to find the healthiest products to use on your journey towards health. Sugar Comparison Chart We are born with a preference for sweet tastes. However, sugar carries calories without any fiber, vitamins or minerals. Sugar is basically empty calories. For bariatric patients, too much sugar can lead to dumping. Natural Sugars vs Added Sugars Naturally occurring sugars are in fruits (fructose) and milk and dairy (lactose). The current Nutrition Facts label doesn’t tell us the difference. A teaspoon of sugar = 4 grams of sugar. If you drink a 12 oz. can of regular pop or 12 ounces regular fruit juice, that means you’ve consumed 40 grams of sugar. This translates to 10 teaspoons of sugar. That’s almost 1/4 cup of sugar! Other names for sugar When you read the ingredient list, look for words like syrup (corn, high fructose, maple, pancake, maltose), corn syrup solids, agave, molasses, beet sugar, brown sugar, turbinado sugar, invert sugar, cane juice, fruit juice, fruit juice concentrate, nectar (peach, apricot, pear), powdered or confectioner’s sugar, raw sugar, maple sugar, date sugar, malted barley, honey and anything ending in “–ose” (maltose, dextrose, glucose, fructose). These are all types of sugar. When you see these words in the ingredient list, look for foods that have sugar listed after the 3rd or 4th ingredient. When you see several sugar ingredients, look at the total amount sugar. Decide if it’s worth it to eat that food. Sugar alcohols These have less impact on your blood sugars. They are more slowly digested than sugar. Sugar alcohols have anywhere from 2 to 4 calories per gram. If your weight loss stalls, check to see if your “sugar free” foods have high amounts of sugar alcohols. You may be getting more calories than you think. Caution…eating too many sugar alcohols can laxative effect! Alternative Sweeteners Artificial sweeteners include Splenda (sucralose), Sweet ‘N Low (saccharin), NutraSweet (aspartame), Sweet One (acesulfame potassium) and Neotame. Stevia is extracted from the stevia plant and is considered a natural sweetener. Monkfruit is extracted from the monkfruit and is considered a natural sweetener. Natural vs. Added Sugars: Comparison Chart How do I find the amount of added sugars in a food? One way to find out what the added sugars are is to compare similar products. Comparisons of applesauce and Greek yogurt are detailed below. The order of appearance is the unsweetened, sweetened and light or low sugar version. Use this chart to compare other products you might choose. Remember that natural sugars are in milk/dairy and fruit. Is all that sugar worth it?

Keep in mind, “sugar free” doesn’t mean “carbohydrate free”. If the label says “sugar free,” that means that the product has less than ½ gram of sugar per serving. The product can still be high in carbohydrates. Sugar alcohols are often used as a sweetener because they don’t usually raise blood sugars. However, sugar alcohols can have 1.5 to 3 calories per gram. Evaluate you habits before adding in treat foods. Is your overall nutrition in the healthy range? Are you disciplined with your eating and supplements? Are you getting regular exercise? An occasional small treat might be reasonable based on evaluating your overall eating and exercise habits. Consider working with your bariatric program’s dietitian to see how these foods might be worked into your food plan.

True or False: If a product says no added sugar, it’s sugar free. That statement is false. It just means the manufacturer didn’t add sugar to a product that may contain naturally occurring sugar from milk (lactose) or fruit (fructose). Foods with natural sugars also provide other nutrients like vitamins, minerals, fiber and anti-oxidants that are healthy for us. A revision to the Nutrition Facts Panel may include added sugars, which will be a better way to determine what foods to minimize. This change won’t be for another year or so. For bariatric patients, eating too much sugar after surgery can lead to dumping. Sugar is considered “empty calories” because all you get is calories without the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants or fiber that are good for your health. Other problems from sugar include increased triglycerides, decreased HDL (healthy) cholesterol, increased respiration rate, fatty liver, increased blood sugars, cavities and weight gain. Research is beginning to link too much added sugar with heart disease, inflammation, gout and premature wrinkles. Recent research points to people consuming too many added sugars dying from heart disease at twice the rate as for people with low sugar intake, even if the diet is otherwise healthy. Obvious sources of sugar are the sweets: cookies, cakes, candy, ice cream, desserts and sugar sweetened pop. Sugar sweetened beverages like regular pop, sports drinks and energy drinks account for about a third of the added sugars we consume. Added sugars can also creep into your diet through condiments like catsup and barbeque sauce, salad dressings, canned tomato products, coffee drinks, pastries, smoothies, crackers and ready to eat cereals. When reading the ingredients label, look for words like anything that ends in “–ose” (sucrose, fructose, maltose, dextrose, xylose etc..), syrup, juice, agave, honey, molasses, caramel, corn sweetener, high fructose corn syrup, evaporated cane guide, cane sugar, brown sugar, barley malt, and beet sugar. You now have information about how to read the label to see if what you are eating or drinking has added sugars. Next week, you’ll find out how to compare products to determine how much added sugar is in something you are eating or drinking.

Front porches are beginning to be adorned with colorful pumpkins and gourds, which makes me stop to think about the array of fall produce to enjoy this time of year. In the fruit category, consider apples, pears and cranberries. Did you also think about fall squashes? The commonly found squashes include butternut, acorn, Hubbard and pumpkin. Front porches are beginning to be adorned with colorful pumpkins and gourds, which makes me stop to think about the array of fall produce to enjoy this time of year. In the fruit category, consider apples, pears and cranberries. Did you also think about fall squashes? The commonly found squashes include butternut, acorn, Hubbard and pumpkin. How can bariatric patients enjoy these foods? Very carefully! Most of these foods are rich in natural sugars and complex carbohydrates. Combine them with a protein source and you’ve got a healthy snack to enjoy. Try half of an apple (peeled and sliced) topped with 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter. Use a fourth of a cup pear chunks mixed with a third cup low fat or fat free cottage cheese. Keep in mind fresh produce comes back to your eating 4 months after surgery. Search for “sugar free cranberry sauce recipes” on the Internet and you’ll get millions of hits for recipes. A few ounces of roasted turkey breast topped with a teaspoon or two of a sugar free cranberry sauce would make a great way to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner if you are 2 months or more out of surgery. The fall squashes (butternut, acorn, Hubbard, pumpkin) are good sources of vitamin C, fiber and beta-carotene. Cut the squashes in half vertically (stem to blossom end), scrape out the seeds, place cut side down on a foil lined baking pan and roast at 350-400 degrees F in a pre-heated oven for 45-60 minutes until tender. Let these cool enough for you to cut into chunks or scoop out to puree to serve as a side dish. The chunks or puree can be served as a side dish. You can use the puree to make a soup by starting with 2 tablespoons of the puree thinned with 3 to 4 ounces chicken broth and stirring in 5 to 7 grams worth of an unflavored protein powder. Too busy to cook from scratch? Try the canned puréed pumpkin as a soup base or just stir the protein powder into canned butternut squash soup found among the gourmet soups in the grocery store. May your eating this fall be carefully planned and bountiful.

Does your holiday or business traveling include involve an airport? Healthy food choices for choices for bariatric patients are not abundant in airports. As a bariatric patient you have to plan ahead to have appropriate nutrition available. If your holiday or business traveling involves an airplane, keep in mind what diet stage you are in. After reviewing the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) policy about bringing food through the security check points, it states that you can bring food through the security checkpoint as long as is wrapped or in a container. Always check with TSA to make sure the current policy accepts the food item you want to bring through the security checkpoint, as the policy can change. Consider pre-packaged, single servings of protein powder, light yogurt, cheese sticks or low fat cottage cheese. Pack plastic spoons for the yogurt and cottage cheese or to stir the protein powders into a liquid. Eat the yogurt, cottage cheese or cheese sticks within a couple of hours after you take them out of the refrigerator. Several sources of single servings of protein powders are available online. Brands include Bariatric Advantage meal replacements, Nectar Grab N Go and Unjury. These are whey protein isolate powders and come in flavors from the standard chocolate, vanilla and strawberry to other flavors like fruit, cookie, chicken and de-caf cappuccino. Protein powders can be mixed with water or low fat milk. The chicken and de-caf cappuccino can be mixed with very warm water. Vanilla or chocolate protein can be mixed with decaf coffee for a mocha or latte. Unflavored protein powder can be added to a broth based soup or hot cereal to boost protein. Remember that whey protein must be kept under 140 degrees Fahrenheit, or it will curdle. For every 6-8 ounces of liquid, add up to 10 grams of protein powder. Protein bars are also options. Look for Quest, Nature Valley Protein bars, Pure Protein or Premier Protein. If the protein content in the protein bar is the same or higher than the carbohydrate, then it’s an acceptable choice. Search for a food service that offers scrambled eggs, grilled chicken or fish. If you’ve had success bringing bariatric friendly foods through the TSA checkpoints or found healthy food options in an airport, please let us know what has worked for you.

Stuffing yourself at Thanksgiving is no longer an option after bariatric surgery. Imagine a typical Thanksgiving meal. The Calorie Control Council estimates the average Thanksgiving meal can add up to 3,000 calories. The entire day can add up to over 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat. That’s 3 sticks of butter’s worth of fat. Stuffing yourself at Thanksgiving is no longer an option after bariatric surgery. Imagine a typical Thanksgiving meal. The Calorie Control Council estimates the average Thanksgiving meal can add up to 3,000 calories. The entire day can add up to over 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat. That’s 3 sticks of butter’s worth of fat. Check out www.caloriecontrol.org/articles-and-videa/feature-articles/stuff-the-bird-not-yourself to find the calorie content for typical Thanksgiving foods as well as healthier recipes. How do you survive this calorie and volume challenge? First, remember you are a bariatric patient. Second, have a plan about what you can eat on Thanksgiving. Know what bariatric diet phase you need to follow. If you are pre-surgery and not on the all liquid diet, practice chewing to applesauce and stop eating when you feel comfortably full. Remember, before surgery it takes about 20 minutes for your brain to recognize that your stomach is full. If this is your first Thanksgiving after surgery, consider skipping the main meal and joining the group for visiting later. If you are comfortable enough to join the gathering, bring your own food or protein shakes. Consider bringing your own Pumpkin Spice shake. Start with an 11 oz. ready to drink vanilla protein shake with at least 15-20 grams protein or make your own. Mix together with 2 tablespoons canned, 100 percent pumpkin and ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix. This is a shake you can have before the pre-surgery liquid diet or starting 6 weeks after surgery. May you have many blessings this Thanksgiving.

Stuffing yourself at Thanksgiving is no longer an option after bariatric surgery. Imagine a typical Thanksgiving meal. The Calorie Control Council estimates the average Thanksgiving meal can add up to 3,000 calories. The entire day can add up to over 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat. That’s 3 sticks of butter’s worth of fat. Check out www.caloriecontrol.org/articles-and-videa/feature-articles/stuff-the-bird-not-yourself to find the calorie content for typical Thanksgiving foods as well as healthier recipes. How do you survive this calorie and volume challenge? First, remember you are a bariatric patient. Second, have a plan about what you can eat on Thanksgiving. Know what bariatric diet phase you need to follow. If you are pre-surgery and not on the all liquid diet, practice chewing to applesauce and stop eating when you feel comfortably full. Remember, before surgery it takes about 20 minutes for your brain to recognize that your stomach is full. If this is your first Thanksgiving after surgery, consider skipping the main meal and joining the group for visiting later. If you are comfortable enough to join the gathering, bring your own food or protein shakes. Consider bringing your own Pumpkin Spice shake. Start with an 11 oz. ready to drink vanilla protein shake with at least 15-20 grams protein or make your own. Mix together with 2 tablespoons canned, 100 percent pumpkin and ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix. This is a shake you can have before the pre-surgery liquid diet or starting 6 weeks after surgery. May you have many blessings this Thanksgiving.

Last week’s posting updated our information about the excellent nutrition that eggs provide. Let’s cover how to cook with eggs. How many know the basics of hard boiled or scrambled eggs? Our patients have a wide variety of cooking skills. Last week’s posting updated our information about the excellent nutrition that eggs provide. Let’s cover how to cook with eggs. How many know the basics of hard boiled or scrambled eggs? Our patients have a wide variety of cooking skills. For novice to gourmet cooks, you’ll find plentiful recipes on the website www.incredibleegg.org. From the home page, click on Recipes & More. Scroll down until you see Eggs 101-Cooking School. From there, you can select how you want to cook your egg. You’ll find a picture and video presentation about the various cooking methods from the humble hard boiled egg to sophisticated soufflé. One type of egg cookery is making a custard. If you’ve ever had pumpkin pie, you’ve had a baked custard. For a bariatric friendly recipe, click on Low carb, Low Fat Pumpkin Custard for an idea you can use this Thanksgiving. This recipe is for patients that are at least 6 weeks out of surgery. Once the ingredients are assembled, it takes about 15 minutes to mix and get into the oven. In the hour it takes to bake, you could take a walk around you neighborhood or write a list of things for which you are thankful. Enjoy! {Image: incredible egg.org}

Last week’s posting updated our information about the excellent nutrition that eggs provide. Let’s cover how to cook with eggs. How many know the basics of hard boiled or scrambled eggs? Our patients have a wide variety of cooking skills. For novice to gourmet cooks, you’ll find plentiful recipes on the website www.incredibleegg.org. From the home page, click on Recipes & More. Scroll down until you see Eggs 101-Cooking School. From there, you can select how you want to cook your egg. You’ll find a picture and video presentation about the various cooking methods from the humble hard boiled egg to sophisticated soufflé. One type of egg cookery is making a custard. If you’ve ever had pumpkin pie, you’ve had a baked custard. For a bariatric friendly recipe, click on Low carb, Low Fat Pumpkin Custard for an idea you can use this Thanksgiving. This recipe is for patients that are at least 6 weeks out of surgery. Once the ingredients are assembled, it takes about 15 minutes to mix and get into the oven. In the hour it takes to bake, you could take a walk around you neighborhood or write a list of things for which you are thankful. Enjoy! {Image: incredible egg.org}

Once upon a time, eggs yolks were the bad guys in heart disease. What’s up with eggs, these days? So, what’s the good news? 70 calories. 13 essential vitamins and minerals. 6 grams of a high quality protein. All of the essential amino acids, which are the ones we have to eat because our bodies can’t make them. 210 mg cholesterol in the egg yolk. 5 grams total fat, mostly unsaturated. Zero carbohydrates. Less than 20¢ per egg. Brown eggs are not healthier than white eggs. Omega-3 fats are present only if the chickens eat a special diet. The yolk contains a robust array of nutrients that help with our health from when we are conceived to when we are old. Protein and nutrients in an egg can aid in muscle strength, brain development and function, weight management and eye health. Not bad for a food that’s about the size of your new stomach pouch after bariatric surgery. Research now points to genetic and lifestyle (nutrition, exercise, smoking) factors having a much greater impact on the development of heart disease than how much cholesterol from egg yolks you are consuming. Newer research indicates about a third of us need to limit cholesterol. Tracking your labs is a good way to find out if you should avoid eggs or enjoy them. Those with an egg allergy need to avoid eggs. Weight loss after bariatric surgery is one significant lifestyle change that improves cholesterol numbers. More information and recipes are available on www.incredibleegg.org or www.eggnutritioncenter.org. For bariatric patients, you can start having eggs again when you start the soft/puree foods. This means 1 week after RNY gastric bypass and 2 weeks after sleeve gastrectomy. Image: Incredibleegg.com - Easy Hard-Boiled Eggs

How many of you had your furnaces checked for the upcoming cold weather? It’s nice to have a warm, cozy home when the temperatures plummet outside. How does this affect a bariatric patient? The air both inside and outside air become very dry, which can lead to dehydration. The thought of drinking something cold doesn’t sound as appealing when it’s cold outside. How many of you had your furnaces checked for the upcoming cold weather? It’s nice to have a warm, cozy home when the temperatures plummet outside. How does this affect a bariatric patient? The air both inside and outside air become very dry, which can lead to dehydration. The thought of drinking something cold doesn’t sound as appealing when it’s cold outside. Happily, there are many decaf, sugar free drink choices on the market. Look online or in your grocery store for herbal teas, sugar free apple cider and sugar free cocoa mixes. These are water based and can count towards your fluids. There are decaf, sugar free drink mixes in packets and the convenient K-cups. If you have a chocolate protein drink you like, try warming it up for warm cocoa. The most abundant nutrient in a protein drink is water. If your chocolate is whey based, keep the temperature under 140 degrees Fahrenheit, or the protein will curdle. When looking at herbal or decaf teas, make sure the tea is caffeine free. A cup of decaf coffee or tea can count towards your fluids as well. Warming a cup of water with a lemon slice or a squeeze of lemon juice can make a cozy cup of lemon tea. Another choice is sipping on warm cup of low-sodium broth. Keep sipping . . . . even when there’s frost on the pumpkins.

How many of you had your furnaces checked for the upcoming cold weather? It’s nice to have a warm, cozy home when the temperatures plummet outside. How does this affect a bariatric patient? The air both inside and outside air become very dry, which can lead to dehydration. The thought of drinking something cold doesn’t sound as appealing when it’s cold outside. Happily, there are many decaf, sugar free drink choices on the market. Look online or in your grocery store for herbal teas, sugar free apple cider and sugar free cocoa mixes. These are water based and can count towards your fluids. There are decaf, sugar free drink mixes in packets and the convenient K-cups. If you have a chocolate protein drink you like, try warming it up for warm cocoa. The most abundant nutrient in a protein drink is water. If your chocolate is whey based, keep the temperature under 140 degrees Fahrenheit, or the protein will curdle. When looking at herbal or decaf teas, make sure the tea is caffeine free. A cup of decaf coffee or tea can count towards your fluids as well. Warming a cup of water with a lemon slice or a squeeze of lemon juice can make a cozy cup of lemon tea. Another choice is sipping on warm cup of low-sodium broth. Keep sipping . . . . even when there’s frost on the pumpkins.

It’s often quite a surprise to learn how slowly you really need to eat after surgery. For those of you that have had surgery, you know that even one very small bite too many can be painful or lead to vomiting. Before surgery, we encourage you to eat slowly to learn that it takes about 20 minutes of slowly eating before your brain recognizes your stomach is full. After surgery it may only take a few bites to begin feeling full. It’s often quite a surprise to learn how slowly you really need to eat after surgery. For those of you that have had surgery, you know that even one very small bite too many can be painful or lead to vomiting. Before surgery, we encourage you to eat slowly to learn that it takes about 20 minutes of slowly eating before your brain recognizes your stomach is full. After surgery it may only take a few bites to begin feeling full. The first step in slowing down your eating is to chew your food to applesauce consistency. A lot of our patients find success by making each bite last 25 chews. Chewing to applesauce consistency works better when you take a very small bite. Think of a bite of food being about the size of a pencil eraser or the size of the tip of your pinky finger. Use smaller utensils like the salad fork or teaspoon or even toddler or baby spoons and forks. Speaking of utensils, put them down between bites which helps you slow down your eating. A lot of us already have a bite of food loaded on a fork or spoon ready to put in our mouth immediately after swallowing bite of food. Use a saucer or salad plate to reduce portions so you have less food in front of you. No seat, no eat. Sitting at a table without distractions around you will help you focus on business of chewing. Remove distractions from your eating area. Eating while standing at the sink, driving, watching TV, working on the computer, answering texts or e-mails, reading, making “to do” lists or doing another load of laundry are common distractors in our busy lives. When you are able to start eating food you can chew foods like cottage cheese or scrambled eggs, start with eating 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) every 10 minutes. Discover your “I’m just about to get full” signal. Our patients report they will hiccup, sneeze, sigh quickly or just realize that next bite of food really isn’t going to work. Focus on the enjoying the few bites you are able to have. Concentrate on the flavor and texture of the food. Many of our patients discover that chewing food well often results in finding out that the foods they really liked before don’t taste as good as they remembered. If you are eating with others, focus on the conversation and people at the table. Many of our post-surgery patients report that the focus of the meal becomes the conversations, enjoying the company and socializing rather than the food. Learning to slow down your eating will be a difficult skill to master, but is an essential skill to have successful surgical outcomes.

Caffeine can irritate the stomach pouch and interfere with sleep. These are some reasons we ask you to eliminate caffeine before surgery. Coffee and tea are well known sources of caffeine. These must specifically state “de-caffeinated” on the label to be considered caffeine free. Many patients assume green tea is caffeine free. It is not. Check the label of all tea and coffee sources to make sure it states “de-caffeinated.” Caffeine can irritate the stomach pouch and interfere with sleep. These are some reasons we ask you to eliminate caffeine before surgery. Coffee and tea are well known sources of caffeine. These must specifically state “de-caffeinated” on the label to be considered caffeine free. Many patients assume green tea is caffeine free. It is not. Check the label of all tea and coffee sources to make sure it states “de-caffeinated.” Where else does caffeine lurk? Energy drinks will have caffeine in them. One ingredient in energy drinks is guarana, which is another plant based caffeine source. Green coffee bean extract has gotten a lot of attention in the media this year. It’s still coffee and it will still have caffeine in it. Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant, not truly an energy source. True energy sources are carbohydrate, fat and protein. Chocolate will also contain a little caffeine, but is allowed in the bariatric nutrition guidelines. Three cheers for that, right? Some medications can also contain caffeine, so you must check the ingredient labels to make sure it’s caffeine free. These medications can be both prescription and over the counter medicines. Caffeine can also serve as a diuretic in some people if too much is consumed. Start checking out those labels to find caffeine free drinks.

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