What to Eat to Promote Post-Op Recovery

Posted July 29, 2024

By Leslie Bonci of Active Eating Advice

After surgery, you may have a period of time of limited mobility, a natural response might be, “I am not moving as much; therefore, I should cut back on eating.” Your body needs to be fueled, not fooled, to restore and recover. So, my first suggestion is don’t go too low with calories or you can slow healing and recovery. In addition, short changes in calories can result in muscle mass loss. The goal is to be SELECTIVE, not neglectful, when it comes to food choices. However, eating more than you need may result in increased body fat, increased muscle mass loss, and increased inflammation.

What Should You Eat to Heal?

Protein is key to help with healing, so increasing protein to at least 0.5-0.6 grams per pound body weight may be a good idea. For a 150-pound person, this translates to 75-90 grams of protein a day. To optimize protein’s impact, it is recommended to divide protein intake out evenly over the day, aiming for at least 20 grams of protein per meal and including some protein in snacks as well. Ideally, including high leucine protein sources are best. This would be dairy, beef, pork, fish, eggs, tofu, and beans.

It is easy to meet protein needs by making sure to eat yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, fish, and beans daily. Dairy foods also provide calcium which is important for bone health. Vitamin C is important for collagen production, so include fruits and vegetables in every meal/snack. In addition, vegetables that are high in dietary nitrates, such as beets, arugula, celery, and spinach, can help with wound healing and bone remodeling. Shredded beets and spinach are great add-ins to a salad bowl. And because alcohol may negatively impact muscle mass and also slow wound healing, do make it a point to be sure with your pour by limiting the frequency and quantity of alcohol!

And the good news is that including the “pros”- protein and produce in every meal and snack, results in being satisfied not stuffed throughout the day and keeps the foraging for extra food at bay.

Remember that hydration NEVER takes a vacation, so make sure that you drink enough throughout the day:

• For women, 11- 8-ounce glasses or about 90 ounces of fluid a day (4.5 water bottles).
• For men: 15- 8-ounce glasses or about 125 ounces of fluid a day (6 water bottles).

And all liquids are part of the total with the exception of alcohol so water, coffee, tea, milk, fruit and vegetable juice count.

Inflammation: Tame the Pain

Sometimes healing hurts, and although there are meds to tame the pain, there are also foods that can help to control inflammation. They include:

• Tart cherry juice contains plant chemicals called anthocyanins that can reduce inflammation. I like to mix tart cherry juice with sparkling water. Berries contain plant chemicals called polyphenols that may reduce inflammation. Fresh or frozen berries are easy to add to smoothies, cereals, salad, as a yogurt or cottage cheese topper or on their own. Beets contain dietary nitrates, which can minimize some of the pain.
• Pomegranate arils (or the juice) may reduce the loss of strength associated with inflammation. 
• Grated fresh turmeric or as a powdered spice as well as chopped or grated ginger and saffron, also have anti-inflammatory effects and add great flavor to food. They can help with delayed onset muscle soreness as well as with bone and joint health. Turmeric and saffron are great in savory dishes such as soups, stews, or sauces and ginger lends itself to both savory and sweet dishes.
• Ginger and saffron are both analgesic (pain-reducing) and anti-inflammatory. Cold water fish such as salmon, tuna, or sardines as well as chia, flax and hemp seeds provide omega-3 fatty acids which are anti-inflammatory.

Minimizing your intake of added sugars in desserts, sugary beverages, and candy can also help reduce inflammation.

What Should Your Post-Op Plate Look Like?

So, to maximize healing and minimize inflammation consider this look for your plate:

• ½ as fruits and vegetables
• 1/3 as protein
• ¼ as the grains such as rice, pasta, bread, cereal, and starchy foods such as corn and potatoes (white and sweet)
• Add in some healthy fats such as nuts, seeds, nut butter, olive oil, and avocado.
• How about stir-frying shrimp, carrots, peppers, broccoli, and edamame with peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, and crushed red pepper dressing? It’s delicious and nutritious!

The bottom line is to create the healing plate and focus on what you will put on your daily menu to recover well and feel great.