Can I Drink Coffee After Bariatric Surgery?
Countless individuals struggle with obesity. When someone is obese, it can seem impossible to achieve desired health goals through diet and exercise alone. Bariatric surgery alters the size of the stomach and adjusts the digestive tract to make it easier to lose significant amounts of weight in a short amount of time.
Bariatric surgery patients need to make lifestyle changes to promote healing and weight loss following surgery. Patients often ask the bariatric surgeons at Oasis of Hope Hospital about drinking coffee after bariatric surgery. Our Tijuana, Mexico weight loss surgery team discusses restrictions on coffee that people should follow after their bariatric procedure.
Hydration and Nutrition After Weight Loss Surgery
After bariatric surgery, patients need to follow very strict dietary guidelines. Because the stomach is so much smaller after treatment, getting adequate hydration and nutrition can be difficult. It is important that our Tijuana patients choose foods and beverages that will hydrate them, provide valuable vitamins and nutrients, and support healthy weight loss.
How Coffee Affects Bariatric Surgery Patients
Coffee and other caffeinated beverages can have a few negative effects on individuals who are recovering from bariatric surgery:
- Caffeine is a diuretic, so it is dehydrating
- Caffeine acts as an appetite stimulant, making people feel hungry
- Coffee is highly acidic, which increases the already high risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) after bariatric surgery
- Most people drink coffee with milk, creamer, and/or sugar, which are considered empty calories that can make weight loss difficult
How Long Do I Need to Avoid Coffee After Surgery?
Because of the potentially negative effects that coffee can have on individuals recovering from bariatric surgery, we recommend a strict 30-day avoidance of coffee and all caffeinated beverages. This includes tea, energy drinks, and sodas. In fact, even non-caffeinated sodas should be avoided due to their carbonation.
If a patient experiences acid reflux or other forms of gastric distress during bariatric surgery recovery, they may need to avoid coffee for even longer.
When Can I Drink Coffee Again?
Coffee should not be consumed until a person has completely recovered from their bariatric procedure, and are no longer experiencing any ill side effects of the surgery.
Minimize Caffeine Intake After Surgical Recovery
Once patients have fully recovered from bariatric surgery at our Tijuana hospital, they may introduce coffee (or other forms of caffeine) back into their diet. However, the amount of coffee consumed should be minimal. We recommend that bariatric surgery patients limit themselves to one or two 8-ounce cups of coffee per day, at most.
How to Drink Coffee While Avoiding Empty Calories
In addition to limiting the amount of coffee they consume, bariatric surgery patients should also be careful about how they drink their coffee. Black coffee has no calories, but for many the taste is too strong. To avoid taking in empty calories, we suggest drinking coffee with nonfat milk or milk substitutes that have been fortified with calcium.
Contact Our Bariatric Surgeons
If you have been struggling to lose weight, bariatric surgery may be the boost you need to get control of your health. To learn more about the bariatric techniques offered at Oasis of Hope Hospital, send us a message online or call us at (619) 690-8417.