The following are general dietary management in surgical condition, but in some cases, due to the health status of the patient, the physician or surgeon may require you to alter this plan.
One week before surgery
- Stop all nutritional supplements (vitamins/minerals including iron and calcium).
The day before surgery
- Follow a low fiber low residue diet
- Do not eat any solid food after midnight
Low fiber/low residue diet
The following low fiber/low residue diet is to be used the day before surgery. A low fiber/residue diet reduces the amount of waste that moves through the intestines, which is helpful in preparing for surgery. This diet is not nutritionally complete, and is intended to be used for a short duration only.
| Food Group | Recommended Foods | Foods to Avoid |
| Milk and dairy *limit to 2 cups daily | · Milk or lactose-free milk
· Almond, rice or soymilk · Yogurt (plain or vanilla), soy yogurt (plain or vanilla flavor) · Cottage cheese, cream cheese, ricotta cheese and aged cheese · Ice cream or frozen yogurt · Butter or margarine |
· Yogurt or ice cream with nuts, seeds or fruit
· More than 2 cups daily from milk and dairy group |
| Meat and other proteins | · Ground or tender, well-cooked lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs and soy prepared without added fat | · Legumes (dried beans), nuts, nut butters, seeds and tough fibrous meats |
| Grains | · Enriched white bread and rolls
· White rice, noodles, pasta, and cooked potatoes (no skin) · Plain crackers · Farina, cream of wheat, and grits · Cold cereal: Rice, Puffed Rice and Corn Flakes |
· Whole grain, whole wheat, rye, cornbread or pumpernickel bread
· Bread made with nuts, seeds or fruits · Whole wheat pasta · Whole grains such as brown rice, buckwheat, bulgur, oats, corn and kasha · Whole grain cereals, bran cereals, granola-type cereals, and cereals with nuts, seeds, coconut or dried fruit |
| Fruits | · Fruit juice without pulp
· Canned or cooked fruits without skins or seeds · Ripe banana · Soft cantaloupes, honeydew melons or seedless watermelon · Peeled apple |
· All other raw fruits including berries, citrus fruits, grapes, pears and pineapple
· Prunes and prune juice · Dried fruit |
| Vegetables | · Strained vegetable juice
· Most well cooked or canned vegetables without seeds and skin, such as potato without skin, tomato sauce, pureed spinach, green beans, carrots and asparagus tips · Iceberg lettuce |
· ALL raw or partially cooked vegetables and beets, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage, sauerkraut and corn
· Greens (mustard, turnip, spinach, collards) · Lima beans, peas, mushrooms, okra, onions, parsnips, peppers, potato skins, tomatoes and winter squash |
| Beverages | · Water, apple or cranberry juice, coffee, tea, carbonated drinks
· Bouillon or strained broth |
· Limit milk and dairy products to 2 cups per day |
| Fats, snacks, sweets and condiments | · Vegetable oil, butter, margarine, ketchup, vinegar, mayonnaise
· Plain cookies and cakes · Fruit ice, Jello, custard, jelly (seedless), honey, sugar or syrup |
· Any made with whole grain flour, bran, seeds, nuts, coconut or dried fruit
· Nuts, seeds, and popcorn |
The day of surgery
- Take clear fluids only up to 3 hours before surgery or up until arrival at the Hospital
- Do not eat or drink anything after arriving at the hospital
| Allowed | Not Allowed |
| · Water
· Apple& Grape Juice · Black Coffee or Tea · Clear Broth · Ginger ale and Seltzer |
· Milk or Dairy Products (including in coffee and tea)
· Citrus Juices · Prune Juice · Juices with Pulp · Any food or beverage not listed in the |
After surgery
For the first day or so after surgery, the patient is only allowed to drink clear liquids, only 59 to 89 millilitres at a time. Once the patient is able to handle clear liquids, he or she can start having other liquids, such as skim or low-fat milk.
Liquids you can have during stage 1:
- Broth
- Unsweetened juice
- Decaffeinated tea or coffee
- Milk (skim or 1 percent)
- Strained cream soup
- Sugar-free gelatin or popsicles
Pureed foods
Once the patient is able to tolerate liquids for a few days, he or she can begin to eat strained and pureed (mashed up) foods. During this phase, he or she can only eat foods that have the consistency of a smooth paste or a thick liquid, without any solid pieces of food in the mixture.
To puree your foods, choose foods that will blend well, such as:
- Lean ground meats
- Beans
- Fish
- Eggs
- Soft fruits and cooked vegetables
Blend solid foods with a liquid, such as:
- Water
- Skim milk
- Juice with no sugar added
- Broth
Soft foods
After a few weeks of pureed foods, the patient you can add soft foods — in the form of small, tender, easily chewed pieces — to his or her diet.
During this stage, the diet can include:
- Ground or finely diced meats
- Canned or soft fresh fruit (without seeds or skin)
- Cooked vegetables (without skin)
Solid foods
After about eight weeks the patient can gradually return to eating solid foods. But foods must still be chopped. They should start slowly with regular foods to see what foods you can tolerate.
Foods to avoid:
- Nuts and seeds
- Popcorn
- Dried fruits
- Carbonated beverages
- Stringy or fibrous vegetables, such as celery, broccoli, corn or cabbage
- Tough meats
- Fried foods
- Breads
The following are the general dietary guidelines to follow:
- Eat and drink slowly: Eating or drinking too quickly may cause dumping syndrome — when foods and liquids enter your small intestine rapidly and in larger amounts than normal, causing nausea, vomiting, dizziness, sweating and eventually diarrhea. To prevent dumping syndrome, choose foods and liquids low in fat and sugar, eat and drink slowly, and wait 30 to 45 minutes before or after each meal to drink liquids.
- Keep meals small: During the diet progression, patient should eat several small meals a day and sip liquids slowly throughout the day (not with meals).
- Drink liquids between meals: Patients should expect to drink at least 6 to 8 cups of fluids a day to prevent dehydration. Drinking liquids with your meals can cause pain, nausea and vomiting as well as dumping syndrome. Also, drinking too much liquid at or around mealtime can leave you feeling overly full and prevent you from eating enough nutrient-rich food.
- Chew food thoroughly: Take small bites of food and chew them to a pureed consistency before swallowing.
- Focus on high-protein foods: Immediately after your surgery, eating high-protein foods can help patients to heal. High-protein, low-fat choices remain a good long-term diet option after your surgery, as well. Try adding lean cuts of beef, chicken, pork, fish or beans to your diet. Low-fat cheese, cottage cheese and yogurts also are good protein sources.
- Avoid foods that are high in fat and sugar: After surgery, it may be difficult for the digestive system to tolerate foods that are high in fat or added sugars. Avoid foods that are high in fat (such as fried foods, ice cream and candy bars). Look for sugar-free options of soft drinks and dairy products.
- Try new foods one at a time: After surgery, certain foods may cause nausea, pain and vomiting or may block the opening of the stomach. The ability to tolerate foods varies from person to person. Patients should try one new food at a time and chew thoroughly before swallowing. If a food causes discomfort, they should avoid them. As time passes, they may be able to eat these foods. Foods and liquids that commonly cause discomfort include meat, bread, raw vegetables, fried foods and carbonated beverages.
- Take recommended vitamin and mineral supplements: After surgery, the body may not be able to absorb enough nutrients from foods. Patient may likely need to take a multivitamin supplement, but this must be done based on a physician or dietitian’s advice.
