What Happens When You Drink Sugary Beverages After Bariatric Surgery?
What Happens When You Drink Sugary Beverages After Bariatric Surgery?
Following the medical team's recommendations is essential for successful recovery and reducing the risk of complications after bariatric surgery. In addition to following a specific diet, which typically starts with clear liquids and gradually progresses to solid foods, it is also essential to maintain a plan of physical activity and undergo regular medical check-ups to ensure that the body is adapting correctly to the changes.
Patients should also be prepared to adjust their eating habits in the long term. This includes eating smaller, more frequent meals and avoiding high-fat and high-sugar foods. It is also important for patients to avoid consuming alcohol and smoking cigarettes as they can compromise recovery and overall health.
It is important to note that after bariatric surgery, the stomach is much smaller and has less capacity to process food and liquids. Therefore, sugary drinks such as soda and juice can be particularly problematic as they contain a large amount of empty calories and refined sugars that can contribute to weight gain and health problems such as diabetes and heart disease.
In addition, sugary drinks can cause inadequate satiety, which can lead to overeating and increase the risk of weight regain after surgery. They can also cause diarrhea and stomach discomfort, as well as dumping syndrome, also called rapid gastric emptying syndrome, which causes the stomach's contents to pass too quickly into the small intestine before the food is fully digested, triggering a range of symptoms that can be gastrointestinal (cramps, nausea, diarrhea, colic), or other symptoms such as general discomfort, hypoglycemia (reduction in blood sugar level), sweating, weakness, or dizziness.
To avoid these problems, it is important to carefully choose beverages after bariatric surgery.
Some healthy alternatives can be water, unsweetened tea, herbal tea, and homemade broth. These beverages can help stay hydrated and provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits without causing digestive or health problems. It is also important to remember that liquids should be taken slowly and in small quantities to avoid digestive problems and ensure that the body is adequately absorbing the necessary nutrients.
