Question for post op surgery and matcha

[Elizabeth Miller 1]

Hello I’m getting close to having my surgery just waiting on insurance clearance. I’m a daily matcha drinker and I understand that I’ll have to stop caffeine after surgery (coffee and high volume teas) I was wondering if any one could suggest a brand of match powder that is in the lower end of caffeine that I could introduce myself to at a low low serving size a month or so after my surgery. I understand that I may not even be able to tolerate an ounce of the drink but I want to at lest try before I say no never happening again. I also sweeten my teas with stevia so the sugar content is on the low end.

[Arabesque 7,086]

Can’t help with the Decaf matcha (find matcha can be grainy and dusty & the caffeine knocks me) but what about trying green tea? It’s the same just milder in flavour and because it’s not as concentrated it has less caffeine (about 1/4 of coffee & I think about 1/3 of matcha). I’ve been drinking green tea for 20+ years. My surgeon allowed herbal or green tea after surgery thank goodness. I think I started drinking it again a few days after. I found the warmth more soothing & easier to sip than Water. If it got too cool, I just reheated it in a microwave but some people swear by those little hot plates to keep your mug warm. Check with your team if you can try green tea as an alternative to your matcha.

[Elizabeth Miller 1]

I have a caffeine limit it’s about as much caffeine in hot chocolate, I am allowed hot chocolate which is wonderful with winter coming up. I find green tea off putting in taste but I drink matcha for its benefits.

Edited Wednesday at 11:42 AM by Elizabeth Miller

[Spinoza 1,324]

I know programmes differ hugely but my surgeon placed absolutely no restrictions on caffeine and I was hugely grateful.

I have no idea whether there is good evidence that caffeine consumption affects weight loss after bariatric surgery but I suspect very much not.

@GreenTealael do you have any evidence to share?

I am a coffee, not a matcha drinker, but I know how much I valued those coffees in the weeks and months after my surgery. Might be worth drilling down into the actual evidence based practice with your team if matcha means as much to you!

Edited yesterday at 12:02 AM by Spinoza

[GreenTealael 25,190]

4 hours ago, Spinoza said:

I know programmes differ hugely but my surgeon placed absolutely no restrictions on caffeine and I was hugely grateful.

I have no idea whether there is good evidence that caffeine consumption affects weight loss after bariatric surgery but I suspect very much not.

@GreenTealael do you have any evidence to share?

I am a coffee, not a matcha drinker, but I know how much I valued those coffees in the weeks and months after my surgery. Might be worth drilling down into the actual evidence based practice with your team if matcha means as much to you!

There are so many different studies on the effects of caffeine on weight loss outcomes, but I cannot find anything specific to our population. Maybe someone else has a resource to share.

As for the restrictions, usually the warning is that caffeine is a diuretic and appetite suppressant. That can seriously impact hydration early on. But every program is different, mine didn’t particularly care if you had coffee/tea but you couldn’t count it towards hydration.

Here’s an interesting (mouse) study on matcha and it’s effects on obesity (through the liver gut axis)

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.931060/full

Anecdotally I’ve never stopped consuming tea (including matcha) but I was never asked to, thank goodness 😅

Edited yesterday at 04:17 AM by GreenTealael

[Arabesque 7,086]

I thought the no caffeine had a lot to do with how caffeine stimulates stomach acid. (It why you should avoid caffeine if you have reflux.) Post surgery, our bodies are still producing the same amount of acid we used to need in our larger tummies (& why many are prescribed PPIs to counteract this). So we’re told to avoid caffeine so we won’t stimulate our stomach acid more at least until our body adjusts to our new digestive needs.

[GreenTealael 25,190]

7 minutes ago, Arabesque said:

I thought the no caffeine had a lot to do with how caffeine stimulates stomach acid. (It why you should avoid caffeine if you have reflux.) Post surgery, our bodies are still producing the same amount of acid we used to need in our larger tummies (& why many are prescribed PPIs to counteract this). So we’re told to avoid caffeine so we won’t stimulate our stomach acid more at least until our body adjusts to our new digestive needs.

^^^ This too!