Following bariatric surgery, it can be difficult to get the required amount of protein following from foods alone, so many patients supplement their diets with liquid proteins shakes. While this may surprise you, people develop sensitivities or intolerance to traditional whey protein drinks and don’t even know it. I was one of them!

Following bariatric surgery, it can be difficult to get the required amount of protein following from foods alone, so many patients supplement their diets with liquid proteins shakes. While this may surprise you, people develop sensitivities or intolerance to traditional whey protein drinks and don’t even know it. I was one of them!

It came to pass that I suffered extreme gas and bloating within 30-minutes of consuming a whey protein shake, even high-quality whey isolates. It took a while to this figure out because I’d consumed whey protein shakes for years without a problem. But I have observed that as time goes on, I develop more and more food sensitivities.

As well, people have reported low-grade chronic head colds and stuffy nose or mucous-coated tongue after consuming whey protein shakes. These are possible symptoms of food sensitivities.

Recently, I stumbled upon two really good protein powders that are not made from whey. They’re now staples in my bariatric pantry.

Protein Powder That Repairs Joints, Too

The first product is a collagen hydrolysate from Great Lakes — a powdered form of gelatin made from collagen with 11 grams of protein and 43 calories per tablespoon. I buy Great Lakes Unflavored Gelatin Collagen Joint Care on Amazon for about 50 cents per serving. Its also available to order from the Great Lakes gelatin website.

Since I’ve been using this product as the protein base in my shakes, my knees no longer hurt when I run. I’m on my third container now and have noticed a major health improvement to my hair and nails, too. Read my full product review on MyBariatricLife.org.

Protein and Amino Acids for Vegetarians and Vegans

The other product is a vegan protein powder. It is low in carbohydrates and packed with amino acids. This is important because most plant-based proteins are void of certain essential amino acids that our bodies cannot produce. So what this means is that in order to get all the amino acids that are needed, plant proteins will have to be strategically combined. Read my full product review on MyBariatricLife.org.

Garden of Life has done all the work for us with their Raw Fit Protein for Weight Loss. Each scoop packs 28 grams of protein and 12 carbs. I buy Garden of Life Raw Fit on Amazon for around $30 for 16 oz. It’s also available at my local health food store.

Living life larger than ever,

My Bariatric Life

Thanks.I will definitely try these!

Thanks.I will definitely try these!

They aren't as tasty as the sugar laden whey powders. However, I mix mine with coffee and some healthy ingredients to make them yummier. Dairy absolutely kills my GI tract with bloating.

too many carbs for me, i prefer as close to sugar free as possible and since i have no sensitivities nor celiac issues thankfully, im j just fine on the isolates. but we do have to remember to read labels, so many Protein supplements are not for weight loss, and have a ton of sugar and carbs in them. Especially ready made ones.

Stevehud it really was the best carb:Protein ratio that I could find in a non-whey Protein powder, 12g carbs and 28g protein. A bariatric nutritionist long ago told me to balance my protein to carbs at every meal 2:1, so this fits that ratio. All the other non-whey protein powders that I have seen are very high in carbs. I use the Bob Marley coffee flavored Raw Fit from Garden of Life, BTW, not the vanilla in the hyperlink. The vanilla was cheaper so I linked to it. If I buy this at my local healthy food store it is about $10 more per container!

Anyway, just keep listening to your body. I think that is something that we as obese people did not do well at. If you notice gas or bloating, or pressure, cramps, problems with BM (either too loose or constipation), anything along those lines, then you may be developing a sensitivity to lactose. It is not uncommon after gastric bypass -- not sure about the other weight loss surgeries.

As an FYI, celiac disease is not uncommon to develop following gastric bypass. I have both celiac disease and lactose intolerance.

I also read a study yesterday that proved what I have known in my soul all along. The chemicals in processed foods are leading to autoimmune diseases such as celiac disease, RA, diabetes type 1, etc.

Stevehud it really was the best carb:Protein ratio that I could find in a non-whey protein powder, 12g carbs and 28g protein. A bariatric nutritionist long ago told me to balance my protein to carbs at every meal 2:1, so this fits that ratio. All the other non-whey protein powders that I have seen are very high in carbs. I use the Bob Marley coffee flavored Raw Fit from Garden of Life, BTW, not the vanilla in the hyperlink. The vanilla was cheaper so I linked to it. If I buy this at my local healthy food store it is about $10 more per container!

Anyway, just keep listening to your body. I think that is something that we as obese people did not do well at. If you notice gas or bloating, or pressure, cramps, problems with BM (either too loose or constipation), anything along those lines, then you may be developing a sensitivity to lactose. It is not uncommon after gastric bypass -- not sure about the other weight loss surgeries.

As an FYI, celiac disease is not uncommon to develop following gastric bypass. I have both celiac disease and lactose intolerance.

I also read a study yesterday that proved what I have known in my soul all along. The chemicals in processed foods are leading to autoimmune diseases such as celiac disease, RA, diabetes type 1, etc.

Bob Marley is a flavor?

Thank you SO much! I ordered the collagen powder. I've been looking for an alternative to whey that is also flavorless. I also have read about the benefits of gelatin/collagen but never did anything about it. My dairy intolerance was made much worse after surgery. I avoid it most of the time and when I decide to indulge I usually regret it. I've wanted something to add to my matcha smoothies and this should be perfect, especially since I have joint problems. Thanks again!

• Pinkgirl1234 Bob Marley coffee is a flavor

You are very welcome. I hope that it helps you. I think that I went through about a canister when I noticed I could run again. I guess it varies form person to person how long it takes for the benefit to kick in, but it seemed pretty fast to me for joint problems.

Dairy kills me. I ate a small amount of gelato at my daughter's house and killed not only myself by my daughter and her family, too. She said NO MORE ice cream for you! Ha! It hurt so bad that you could not pay me to eat it again! I sometimes buy (or make) frozen banana dipped in dark chocolate and it really hits the spot!

Hey, can you tell me what health benefits you've derived from the matcha tea? I'd love to know! Thanks!

Thank you SO much! I ordered the collagen powder. I've been looking for an alternative to whey that is also flavorless. I also have read about the benefits of gelatin/collagen but never did anything about it. My dairy intolerance was made much worse after surgery. I avoid it most of the time and when I decide to indulge I usually regret it. I've wanted something to add to my matcha smoothies and this should be perfect, especially since I have joint problems. Thanks again!

I just started drinking the matcha tea a week ago. I know it has 10x the antioxidants of regular green tea. I've been on my second round of Whole30 and couldn't handle black coffee anymore. I decided I hate plain black coffee. Yuck. So I looked for an alternative and found matcha. Since I don't use added sweeteners I think it tastes awesome as a smoothie with a bit of frozen fruit. I've noticed it gives me the caffeine boost but not much more yet. But I haven't been using it very long either. I'll let you know in a few more weeks!

• KristenVSG2014 thank you! when I did Whole30 with my daughter, she came upon a recipe for me to overcome that black coffee problem. I still use this recipe to this day and add my Bob Markey coffee flavor Raw Fit Protein powder, a frozen banana, and other healthy ingredients like chia and sesame seeds etc. This makes a nice protein shake/smoothie. The basic recipe is to make a coffee latte using coconut water/juice, black coffee, and coconut milk. I found that the original Trader Joe's canned light coconut milk (which they may no longer carry) and their coconut Water did not have any additives and so these were compliant for Whole30. It really saved me because I needed that coffee boost (I like the flavor of coffee, not just the caffeine).
• Thanks for the recipe for the matcha smoothie. I will try that soon. I have some ingredients for making a kale, cucumber, and mint smoothie. I think the matcha would be great with that.