Carbonated Beverages and Weight Loss Surgery

[Alex Brecher 10,486]

Among the seemingly endless list of rules for your diet after weight loss surgery is one that seems innocuous, but can, in reality, make you question whether you are even a good candidate. That rule is to avoid carbonated beverages. That includes colas and other soft drinks, beer, sparkling Water, and anything else with bubbles…for life.

Do you need to obey this rule? If so, how can you reconcile yourself to life without fizz? Here is the information on carbonation and WLS from reasons to avoid it to what you can have instead.

Can Your Stomach Really Stretch?

The top reason given for avoiding carbonated beverages after weight loss surgery is to prevent your stomach, sleeve, or pouch from stretching. A major purpose of getting weight loss surgery is to make your stomach smaller, and stretching it would, as the fear goes, undermine your weight loss strategy. Is this a realistic fear?

Probably not. There are probably two parts to this idea. First, there will almost certainly be a small amount of stretching after surgery, naturally. There is no evidence that you can prevent this, or that drinking carbonated beverages affects it one way or the other.

Second, drinking carbonated beverages may lead to the effects of stretching, that is, overeating, for a slightly different reason. Carbonated beverages are very filling; they seem to take up a lot of room in your stomach. If you get used to the feeling you get when you drink them, you may start to have more trouble recognizing the subtle fullness signals you have when you stick to your small post-op meals. This lack of ability to feel full may be the “stretching” that people report.

Carbonation Is Uncomfortable

For most patients, the post-op recovery process is long and uncomfortable enough. Adding bubbly liquid into the mix can make it worse. The gas in carbonated beverages can cause bloating and stomach pain. The bloating and stomach distension can put stress on your surgical wounds and delay healing.

A Sign of Dedication

For many patients, and according to some health professionals, cutting out soda is a sign of your dedication to your new lifestyle. Some may see a soda habit as a sign of continued dependence on junk food, or an unwillingness to change. Another concern is that drinking soda can easily lead to eating whatever it is that you are used to eating with it: possibly chips or a burger or nachos. For WLS patients who want a “clean slate,” soft drinks and beer may not fit in.

P.S. Carbonated Beverages Are Unhealthy

Along with all of the above WLS-specific reasons for skipping soda is another reason: carbonated beverages are generally unhealthy. The sugary ones are obviously unhealthy - they add pounds and spike blood sugar – but there are other problems, too.

• Artificial sweeteners in diet sodas can lead to excessive insulin responses, which can raise diabetes risk and also make you hungrier.
• Phosphoric acid in cola can erode your tooth enamel, leading to decay, and may lead to decreased bone mineral density and risk for osteoporosis.
• Cola can also decrease absorption of Calcium.< span id="cke_bm_368C" style="display: none;">

Refreshing Soda Swaps

If you are drinking soda for hydration and comfort, you can look to other cold drinks to fill the void. Look for non-carbonated, low-calorie, sugar-free choices.

• flavored water in a ready-to-drink bottle (be sure to choose low-calorie, noncarbonated versions) or that you make yourself with Flavor Enhancers.
• Infused water that you make by adding citrus fruit such as lemon, lime, or orange, strawberries, peaches, or mint leaves, to ice water.
• Decaffeinated iced tea ready-made from a bottle or that you make yourself with tea bags. Drink it unsweetened or use a low-calorie sugar substitute. You can try green, black, herbal, and fruit tea to find a variety that you enjoy.
• Iced green or black tea with a sugar substitute (if you need it sweet) plus a squeeze of lemon.

Energizing Caffeine Jolts

Take heart if you are dependent on your soft drink for a caffeine boost, but you are not a fan of Hot Drinks or bitter taste of coffee. There are plenty of ways you can get your caffeine and burst of energy without sipping coffee, which has about 80 to 160 mg of caffeine per cup. For context, a can of cola has about 45-70 mg caffeine.

• Energy drinks: 60-160 mg caffeine
• Water enhancer: 45 mg caffeine
• Iced tea: 5 to 40 mg caffeine
• Hot tea: 10-40 mg caffeine
• Caffeinated over-the-counter medications: 60-300 mg caffeine (be careful!)

Do remember that you will probably need to abstain from caffeine for the first month after weight loss surgery to allow your surgery wounds to heal. Some surgeons will ask you to give up caffeine for life.