What Are Essential Vitamins Need To Take After Bariatric Surgery.
The essential vitamins need to take in post-bariatric surgery
If you recently went through bariatric surgery, then this article is for you. Read about the essential vitamins need to take after the weight loss surgery. And to get hygienic macronutrients and micronutrients for the healthy development of body mass.
A Healthy Bariatric Plate
Do you know what a healthy bariatric plate is? Do you know about the essential vitamins you need to take? If not, we will explain in this article the importance and amount of essential vitamins need to take in post-bariatric surgery. So, a healthy bariatric surgery is approximately 10 inches or the size of one hand. It should contain four portions: Proteins (chicken, meat, eggs), Carbohydrates (bread, rice, roti, etc.) Fruits, salads, and vegetables.
Let’s Learn about Essential Vitamins
Our diet contains important ingredients such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals. But people mostly don’t know which food items contain these ingredients. And what is the importance of these ingredients in our diet plan after bariatric surgery?
1: Carbohydrates
Nowadays, carbohydrates are in a wide variety of healthy and unhealthy foods, like bread, beans, milk, popcorn, potatoes, biscuits, spaghetti, soft drinks, corn, etc. Therefore, the most common and abundant forms of carbohydrates are sugars, fibers, and starches.
- Healthy and Unhealthy Carbohydrates
The healthiest carbohydrate sources are unprocessed whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and beans. They promote good health by delivering the right amount of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
On the other hand, unhealthier sources of carbohydrates are white bread, cakes, sodas, sugar, and other highly processed foods. These food items contain simple carbohydrates that contribute to weight gain, interfere with weight loss, and promote diabetes and heart disease. Therefore, you need to understand the difference between Complex Carbs and Simple Carbs after bariatric surgery.
- Complex and Simple Carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates are found in whole and unprocessed foods, including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. And Simple carbs are present in sugars and starches that are processed/refined and stripped of their natural fiber and nutrients. Hence, after bariatric surgery, it is important to take complex carbs and avoid simple carbs because simple carbohydrates cause dumping syndrome after bariatric surgery.
- Dumping Syndrome
Dumping syndrome is a condition that happens when the stomach empties its contents quickly into your small intestine. It causes large amounts of undigested food to flood your small intestine.
- Carbohydrates and Bariatric Surgery
Carbs after weight loss surgery are not bad. However, it is essential to learn the difference between good carbs and bad carbs. Good carbs are low in calories and high in fiber, such as fruits and vegetables. On the contrary, bad carbs are often processed, high in calories, and low in fiber. Thus, we recommend that after the weight loss surgery, our bariatric patients must stick to 50 to 75 grams of carbs a day and consume less than 15 tablespoons of sugar a day for sustained weight loss.
2: Proteins
Proteins are large, complex molecules playing critical roles in the body. They work in the cells and help structure, function, and regulate the body’s tissues and organs. Therefore, we need to eat healthy proteins. Its sources are beans, nuts, meat, fish, and poultry.
- Proteins intake according to gender
Doctors recommend that you get 10 to 35 percent of your total calories from protein. But this requirement is different according to gender, as men need more proteins than women. The Institute of Medicine estimates that, on average, men must take 56 grams of protein daily, and women should get about 46 grams. So, fulfill your requirement for proteins accordingly.
- Proteins and Bariatric Surgery
After bariatric surgery, It is essential to follow the recommended dietary guidelines by a US-qualified bariatric surgeon. The health care providers carefully design these guidelines to limit your calories and provide balanced meals to prevent nutrient deficiencies and preserve muscle tissue.
Thus, in order to preserve muscle tissues eat foods rich in protein. You must consume High-protein foods, including eggs, meats, fish, poultry, cottage cheese, yogurt, and other milk products. Simply put, your goal should be to consume a minimum of 60 to 75 grams of protein daily.
Moreover, note that post-Bariatric Surgery needs are higher, but initially, you need to consume less food for easy digestion. Slowly you can increase the amount of food intake but in consultation with your weight loss surgeon.
3: Essential Vitamins
Vitamins are natural compounds that the body needs in small quantities to function properly. Most vitamins come from food because the body does not produce them or produce them in small amounts. So, having too little vitamin may increase the risk of developing certain health issues and causing deficiencies.
Water-soluble and fat soluble
There are some vitamins that are either soluble in water or fat. We describe both types below:
- Water Soluble Vitamins
Water-soluble vitamins do not stay in the mass for longer, so they cannot be stored. They leave the body via urine. Therefore, people need a regular supply of water-soluble vitamins. Its main examples are given below, along with their benefits, function, and uses.
- Vitamin C
Its Chemical name is ascorbic acid which is water-soluble in nature. It helps in collagen production, wound healing, and bone formation. And helps the body absorb iron and acts as an antioxidant. The deficiency may result in scurvy that reasons bleeding gums, a loss of teeth, poor tissue growth, and deep wound healing in the skin. It is present in citrus fruits.
- Vitamin B
These vitamins help enzymes do their jobs, from releasing energy to breaking down amino acids and transporting oxygen and energy-containing nutrients around the body. It is of 13 different types.
Fat Soluble Vitamins
Dietary fats help to improve the body’s absorb fat-soluble vitamins through the intestinal tract. The body provision fat-soluble vitamins in fatty tissue and the liver, which can stay in the body for days or months. So, Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble.
- Vitamin A
Its Chemical name is retinol, retinal. It is a fat-soluble Vitamin, which is essential for eye health. Its deficiency may cause night blindness; therefore, take vitamin A from cod liver oil, carrots, sweet potatoes, butter, spinach, pumpkins, cheeses, eggs, apricots, and milk after bariatric surgery.
- Vitamin D
It is a fat-soluble vitamin that is needed for the healthy mineralization of bone. The deficiency of Vitamin D may cause rickets and osteomalacia or soften of the bones. Its good sources are Exposure to UVB rays from the sun, fatty fish, eggs, beef liver, and mushrooms.
- Vitamin K
The Chemical name is menaquinone, a fat-soluble Vitamin necessary for blood clotting. It is present in leafy greens, pumpkins, figs, and parsley. Its deficiency may cause an unusual susceptibility to bleed.
- Vitamin E
The deficiency may destroy blood cells. Its antioxidant activity helps to prevent oxidative stress that increases inflammation and various diseases. Its good sources include wheat germ, kiwis, almonds, eggs, nuts, leafy greens, and vegetable oils.
Essential vitamins need to take in post-weight loss treatment.
Thus, after the bariatric surgery or weight loss surgery, our renowned an American qualified bariatric surgeon Dr.Tahir Yunus recommends patients take a complete multivitamin, calcium with Vitamin D, iron and Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Vitamin B12 in his recent Webinar on “𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐕𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐲”.
Consequently, after bariatric surgery, you may experience hair loss, brittle nails, and dry skin due to a deficiency of these essential vitamins. Therefore, stay in touch with your doctor and continue your vitamin regimen after bariatric surgery. As it will help prevent these health problems.
In a Nutshell
Thus, the purpose of bariatric surgery is to improve your health effectively. And for health improvement, you need proper nutrition. You need to think about three things after the weight loss surgery; water, macronutrients, and micronutrients.
So, tracking your water intake and macronutrients, carbs, fats, and proteins is easy. But micronutrients, vitamins, and minerals need less, but their role is very important. Its calculation can present a challenge to those living a bariatric life. Therefore, we have explained above all the essential vitamins you need to take so you consume your daily dose by taking vitamin-rich foods.