This might be a stupid question, but can/should you eat protein bars after gastric bypass surgery (obviously not in the beginning, but once you're back to solid foods)? My favorite protein bars are on sale for 50% off right now, and I'm tempted to stock up, but my surgery is just over a month away and I don't want to buy a bunch of protein bars that I'll never be able to eat.

Congratulations on your plans. I just got a bypass. From my meeting with my nutritionist, while you would hit your protein goals with shakes or bars, it is best to get your nutrition from natural sources. Processed foods should be avoided. With that said, shakes are better than protein bars which have a lot more fat, and carbs. Also, we can treat ourselves to something sensible now and then. Just don't make it part of your daily routine. You should probably wait for the normal food stage 3 months after surgery.

I occasionally have Pure Protein bars which have 16 g of carbs, 6 g of fat, and 20 g of protein. I eat one on days where my carb count is low. I'm one year out and my nutritionist has upped my carbs to 80-90 g a day.

The bars are 200 calories apiece so I am careful to have one only when I am well below my daily 1200 calories a day diet.

Edited June 11, 20206 yr by Prestonandme

They're fine to eat. But as the others have said, they're pretty caloric, and there are better options. But I usually have one in my purse for "emergencies" - (when I need to eat and there are no good options) - and I always take a box of them when I travel. But I don't eat them regularly. Maybe a couple of them a month.

P.S. they do have low-carb ones. Just check the macros before you buy them to make sure (that is, if you're on a low-carb plan).

Edited June 11, 20206 yr by catwoman7

Are you looking at Built Bars? I do like them (I have a sleeve) but I make sure to stick to the 110 calorie bars and just have them occasionally. They may make some people dump.

Yes, Built Bars (I LOVE those things)... Unfortunately, my favorite one, German chocolate cake, is 170 calories, but I also love vanilla, salted caramel, and raspberry, which are all 110. And I could cut the German chocolate cake in half.

On Amazon, 18 Built Bars are $37.70. Eighteen Pure Protein bars are $16.28. Both taste great, though.

1 minute ago, Prestonandme said:

On Amazon, 18 Built Bars are $37.70. Eighteen Pure Protein Bars are $16.28. Both taste great, though.

Built Bars are on sale for 50% off (on their web site, not Amazon) if you buy at least 4 boxes. That's why I want to stock up now IF I can still eat them after surgery. I haven't tried Pure Protein bars, but Built Bars are my favorite of the ones I've tried.

Well, most likely you'll be able to eat them after surgery. If you want to eat them, nobody is going to stop you (I eat this stuff myself so no judgment here).

However, the problem might be that you maybe won't tolerate the type of protein they use in their bars. You wouldn't be the first patient developing an intolerance to whey or soy. So stock up at your own risk. Worst thing that can happen though is that you have to give them away and you wasted your money. I guess I would go with this offer. I'm a hoarder and my flat always looks like I'm preparing for crisis.

Be very careful some are full of sugar and unhealthy

Took me longer than most people to get to the normal food phase. And I’m still not really normal. But I did find when I tried my first protein bar One benefit is they tend to melt in your mouth easier to fully chew and swallow.

People seem to give them a bad reputation and assume they are all caloric, carb.oaded, sugary or that all processed food is automatically bad. Every food we eat is processed in some manner. Just check ingredients and look for any hidden sugars and check that they are benefiting you.

There are quite a few protein bars that have lower calorie options that are low carb, and low sugar as well. A lot of times the sugar if any is from natural sources ie. Nuts.

A protein bar is my go to breakfast every morning with a mug of tea. It’s not hurting me. That’s just what works for me. I plan as best I can my daily meals and decide what bar I will have that day. Sometimes I try to plan a few days ahead. Depending what I’ve got in the house for food. I started with a half bar at first and didn’t make it a regular thing until I got closer to my goal weight or at least felt more comfortable doing so.

I Like built bars and either Buy when it’s sales, a coupon or when you can redeem rewards. I wish you could combine them though. They have plenty of 110 calories options. But even the 140 calories or 170 calories are decent for meal replacement. So many good flavor options. I don’t care for Maltodextrin but the company explained that its non digestible and somehow different. It seems ok. The erythritol usually doesn’t cause digestive issues.

soMe other bars I’ve had and liked Which are a little more calories (but breakfast not snack for me) are one plant bars (churro is good) quest hero bars, depends on the flavors. The new chocolate peanut butter is higher calorie but oh sooolo goooood .... and a good go to when I might not eat enough that day ... ie doctors appointment ... errands ...

just check labels .... always look for low carb low sugar and reasonable calories they do exist. Just make sure there’s no maltitol or test it out to make sure it won’t cause you gastric distress. Allulose is usually ok, as is erythritol. I hate that a lot of companies started using corn fiber ... But I don’t have resources for fresh prepared breakfast. Physically, I just don’t have the energy. And my stomach doesn’t tolerate anything but that in the morning.

Sure you can eat them, but in the interest of health and weight loss (as well as maintenance), it's always best to rely on real, whole foods: snacks like tuna, avocado, nuts, eggs, lightly roasted chickpeas, plain Greek yoghurt (or pudding made from plain Greek yoghurt mixed with protein powder), etc. Most protein bars are essentially candy bars: they're ultra processed, high in calories, low in vitamins and minerals, often high in sugars and/or fats and salt, and most are full of sugar alcohols that can cause stalls and even weight gain for people trying to lose weight. If you read around this forum and on other weight loss and WLS forums, you'll find that they're also a "slippery slope" for some in that they can lead to pretty intense cravings for bad carbs. The only thing that really separates them from candy bars is protein content.

If you're craving a treat but would like to combine it with a quick hit of protein, it's very easy to make your own protein bars or balls. There are loads of recipes online; just search around for the healthier ones that don’t contain added fats and oils, added sugars including dates or dried fruits, etc. They take only a few minutes to make, and the nutritional profile is far healthier than any of the commercially made ones.