Varied and Balanced Diet High in Protein Before a Gastrectomy

Ensure good hydration, with 1.5 – 2 litres of water per day (6-8 glasses), preferably outside of meals. In the case of lack of appetite, more nutritious liquids can be drunk in addition to water, such as natural fruit juices, fruit and vegetable smoothies or home-made broth. Avoid alcoholic beverages and carbonated soft drinks.

Eat frequent meals during the day, even if they are smaller, to incorporate different foods and a higher proportion of nutrients. The diet can be divided into: breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner and bedtime snack.

Fruit, vegetables, dairy products, starches (grains, legumes, tubers), protein-rich foods (eggs, fish, meat, legumes and by-products) and healthy fats (virgin olive oil, ground or nut butter, ground seeds).
If there is abdominal discomfort or digestion is difficult, limit the consumption of fibre-rich foods (legumes and whole grains) and fatty foods (oily fish, very fatty cheese, etc.). In the case of continued abdominal discomfort, review the section on ‘Abdominal pain and/or acid reflux’.

At lunch and dinner, always ensure the presence of vegetables (raw* or cooked, depending on tolerance), starchy (tubers, grains, legumes) and protein-rich foods (meat, fish and eggs or other plant-based protein-rich foods like soybeans), as indicated in the plate method. This method allows small amounts to be eaten using a dessert plate as a base, as shown in the following recipe.

In some cases, legumes may cause gas and greater abdominal discomfort, so you should check tolerance to them by adding them in small amounts or mashed in the form of creamy soup or purée.

Meat, fish, seafood, eggs and legumes are the highest-quality protein-rich foods. Add any dish containing fish (white or oily, depending on tolerance), seafood, meat (mainly lean), eggs, soy or soy by-products (tofu, texturised soy, etc.) to lunch and dinner. Include other foods that are also good sources of protein in the other meals of the day, such as dairy products and nuts.

Some examples of protein-rich foods:

* Assess tolerance to oily fish.
** It is better to consume legumes mashed, in the form of purée and creamy soup, hummus-style pâté or ground. Dried legumes can be ground to include in other dishes.
*** Nuts and seeds should be consumed ground or in butter form to facilitate digestion.
People who follow an exclusively plant-based diet, with very little or no animal-based food (vegan, strict vegetarian, etc.), should check with their dietician-nutritionist to ensure that they have adequate nutritional intake of proteins and other vitamins.

Adapt the above recommendations to the ‘Abdominal pain and/or acid reflux’ section.