What You Must Eat for Fast Recovery After Surgery?

Author: Priyanka Saxena on Nov 18,2020

What you are eating will majorly determine how fast you are recovering after surgery. It is not just the surgery itself that your body needs more calories, but after surgery, there is a kind of stress reaction that elevates metabolism and therefore our body needs way more calories. 

And, it is important that we are eating right! 

If you are not eating foods you must eat to recover fast after surgery, it might result in complications. The right food will get your body with all the nutrients that it actually needs -- which can help build the tissues that your body needs for faster healing. 

Eating right will also help with keeping your body away from any post-surgery complications like constipation. Undoubtedly, it is important to eat right whether you are recovering or are just going through your day-to-day life, it becomes extremely essential when you have had surgery done recently.

Feeling hemmed by the idea of what food one must eat after surgery? Let’s read the article to find out about the best foods you must include in your diet for fast recovery after surgery. 

Let’s get started:

Let’s first throw some light on what nutrients would heal you faster & what food would provide those nutrients better: 

Vitamin C: Vitamin C promotes the production of collagen, which the body requires when it is recovering a surgery. 

Vitamin C Rich Foods: Potatoes, Citrus fruits, berries & vegetables.

Calcium: With time we lose the amount of calcium present in our body and since the body does not produce this mineral, we need to consume it externally. 

Calcium-rich Foods: Dairy products including cheese, milk, yogurt, chia seeds, spinach, and kale.

Vitamin D: Vitamin D helps in the absorption of calcium, which is essential when you are recovering from surgery. 

Protein: Protein helps build your bone & muscles. It also keeps your immune system strong enough to fight any infections. 

Protein Rich Foods: Eggs, fish, dairy products, beans, meat, nuts, soy, cottage cheese & more.

Let's talk in a little more detail on what foods you must add to your diet for better & fast recovery after surgery. 

1. Fruits

No matter if you have undergone surgery or not, it is important to include fruits in your daily diet. Even before the surgery, a bowl full of different fruits would keep you healthy & only help your body bear the brunt of the surgery. Fruits get you important nutrients like vitamin A, C, D calcium, antioxidants, fiber & more. Some of the fruits you must include in your post-surgery diet are Berries, Apples, Mangos, Peaches, Grapefruit, Oranges, Melons, Tomatoes, and Apricots.

2. Eggs

For the adequate amount of vitamins, minerals, including vitamin A, B complex, vitamin B12, calcium, zinc, calcium & more that eggs are the first thing most health experts suggest to recovering patients. An egg a day would help you recover better after surgery. 

3. Vegetables 

Vegetables are something you must be eating all through the year whether you have gone through surgery or not. And, when you are healing a surgery or any ailments -- it is quite important to include lots of vegetables in your diet. Your body receives all types of vitamins, minerals & other nutrients important for your body. Vegetables are the perfect source of vitamin A, C, carbohydrates, and fiber that also helps prevent constipation. Some of the vegetables you must eat include Cauliflower, Bell Peppers, Brussel Sprouts, Carrots, Cabbage, Potatoes & Broccoli. 

4. Healthy Fats

Healthy Fats play an important role in absorbing vitamins from other foods that you eat after surgery. By strengthening the immune system, healthy fats help in preventing any kind of infection. In addition to that healthy fats are important for fast recovery after surgery for they provide vitamin E, and energy providing vitamins. For supply of healthy fat to your body, you must add to your diet -- Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Seeds, Avocados, and Nuts.

5. Whole Grains

Whole grains are an important part of our food that provides our body with the required nutrients. They are extremely rich in vitamins, minerals & other nutrients for the proper functioning of the human body and are necessary for healing any kind of wound. They are rich in zinc and protein that help with repairing tissues, magnesium that promotes the defense mechanism of the body & iron that helps in the supply of iron to help through the healing of wounds. For all these amazing benefits you must eat whole grains including Quinoa, Millet, Barley, Wild Rice, Pilaf, Whole wheat, and Risotto. 

Other foods that help in fast recovery after surgery:

6. Leafy Greens: Collard Greens, Spinach, Kale, Turnip Greens, Bok Choy & Romaine Lettuce.

7. Meat or Alternatives: Poultry, Beef & Seafood.

8. Probiotics: Kimchi, Yogurt, Miso, Sauerkraut, Kefir, and Pickles

Summary:

While you need to maintain a healthy diet all through for healthy living, when you have gone through surgery, your body tissues are rebuilding -- therefore you need to be way more conscious of what you are eating.  There are foods that help with the healing process and others that can thwart the healing process -- this makes out that you are extremely selective with what you are eating after surgery. You must include the foods listed in this article for fast recovery after surgery. On the other hand, you should avoid excessive alcohol, caffeine, salt, and sugar. Not to say, drinking lots of water all through the day would expedite the healing process!