Tips for Making Protein Shakes Tastier Post-Op

Guest post written by Sharon Howard R.D.

Stir, Don’t Shake

In the first week after bariatric surgery, your “pouch” is a bit swollen on the inside along the incision lines. Keep this in mind as your build towards your full, clear liquid diet to liquid foods you cannot see through, such as protein shakes. These drinks will need to provide 10 grams or more of protein for 8 oz. of liquid.

Wait a week before using a blender or device that whips air into your shake. This increases air into your tender tummy that can cause burping and gas pains. As you begin to tolerate the drinks over time, you can use the blender to add interesting flavors.

But, before you start using a blender, try some of these tricks to make your basic chocolate or vanilla protein shake easy to swallow during this phase of your post-bariatric surgery recovery.

Also remember, sip slowly and no straws please!

6 Ways to Make Your Protein Shakes Yummy!

A staple of the post-op bariatric diet plan, jazz up your protein shakes with these ideas to add some delicious zing.

1) Add flavor enhancers

Mio has interesting flavors to add to water. Simply add a few squirts on your vanilla or chocolate shake. Try some of these tasty combinations:

• Mango peach in your vanilla shake
• Orange tangerine in vanilla for a creamsicle treat
• Tropical cherry or cranberry raspberry mixed in chocolate.

2) Use Extracts

A tasty sugar-free option, if you only use a drop or 2, the tiny amount of alcohol in extracts should be enough to take boring to interesting. Add some mint, almond or coconut extract to your chocolate shakes. Hazelnut or banana extract will help that vanilla shake go down, great.

3) Enhance with Emulsions

Emulsions are flavorings without alcohol you can add. OliveNation.com and Trader Joe's have a selection of many common flavors such as lemon, almond, orange and coconut.

Walmart carries a protein powder, Great Value brand, made with stevia to add to water. A packet has 5 grams of whey protein isolate in refreshing juice-like flavors such as peach mango, or strawberry orange tangerine to add to 16 oz water. Added bonus is 5 grams of fiber! Try adding this to vanilla for a tasty treat! You can boost the protein by 5 grams if you use the whole packet.

5) A Gourmet Coffee Shop in Your Kitchen

Decaf coffee crystals from Folgers or Nescafe can be added to your chocolate shakes to get a terrific mocha taste!

6) Sugar-Free Syrups

DaVinciGourmet.com offers sugar free syrups to jazz-up your drinks. Add some of DaVinci Sugar-free mint to a high protein hot chocolate mix and enjoy!

Find more bariatric recipe ideas and tasty, nutritious concoctions in our recipe library.