Karen Buzby, RD, LDN, member of the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery team, offers ideas for incorporating colorful, nutritious foods into your diet.
March is national nutrition month. To promote healthy nutrition, the American Dietetic Association urges people to “Eat Right with Color.” Incorporate a wide variety of colorful food in your diet ranging from fruits and vegetables to lean protein and whole grains.
Following weight loss surgery, calorie restrictions can make maintaining a nutritious and colorful diet challenging. In the early post-operative stages, the recommended diet consists mostly of high protein drinks and foods, such as lean meat, poultry, fish and low-fat dairy. As you recover from surgery, colorful fruits and vegetables can gradually be integrated into your diet to provide nutritional variety.
Try these creative ideas to add colorful food at each stage of your post-operative diet:
Full-Liquid Diet
- Vegetable juice or 100 percent fruit juice diluted with water
- Strained vegetable-based cream soup
- No sugar added whole fruit ice pops
Pureed Diet
- Unsweetened apple sauce
- Cranberry-raspberry or pomegranate apple sauce purees
- Frozen pureed squash
- Whipped baked sweet potato
Soft Diet
- Cooked vegetable such as tender broccoli florets or asparagus tips
- Soft canned fruits packed in water or light syrup, such as sliced peaches or a fruit cup
- Salsa on chicken or fish
Regular Diet
- Fresh fruits and salads
- Slices of avocado, apples or kiwi
- Baby carrots or cherry tomatoes
**Remember to remove high-fiber skin and peels from fruit and vegetables to avoid digestive problems.
- Karen Buzby, RD, LDN
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