Bariatric Friendly Starbucks Coffees

[Erin18 135]

Anyone have favorite Starbucks drinks for after surgery?

Like iced coffees and fappucinnos? Can they make Frappuccinos bariatric friendly?

[Recidivist 1,141]

First, you should ask your surgeon about his/her guidance on caffeine after surgery. Most surgeons don't want you to consume caffeine for a certain period. (Mine recommended a year after gastric bypass, which is when I resumed drinking coffee.)

I think the only acceptable option would be black coffee, with skim milk and artificial sweetener if you like. (That's my go-to drink every morning, made at home.). You really shouldn't do anything with sugar or fat after surgery, including whole milk, syrups, whipped cream, processed sugar, etc. Any of those would be empty calories when you should be prioritizing Protein.

When your surgeon says you can have caffeine, you could do an iced coffee with skim milk, but I'm not sure there is any way to make a Frappucino bariatric-friendly.

[Arabesque 6,565]

Watched an interesting British medical program recently that talked about how caffeine restricts your absorption of Iron (by up to 65%). This is a concern because low iron levels & anaemia can be a side effect many experience after surgery.

I too was a no caffeine after surgery. I drink green tea which I was allowed so it didn’t bother me. My surgeon is a no caffeine proponent because it can be harsh on your sensitive tummy. There are some who have coffee in hospital so you can never tell.

As @Recidivist advised this is a conversation best had with your surgeon.

[Smanky 743]

I imagine Starbucks iced coffees etc are absolute calorie bombs due to the fat and sugar. Honestly, I'd be taking this time post-op to wean yourself off drinking your calories, and especially in the early months drinks really need to have a Protein focus.

I was never given a coffee restriction (I was offered coffee the first night in hospital), so once my stomach had some time to heal, my daily treat was a small soy latte, no sugar. Soy has a good amount of protein in it, and a small soy latte is an acceptable 75 calories.

[summerseeker 1,870]

I am an ardent coffee drinker, never needed to give it up. For a big energy boost and because I love it, I have a large sugar free, Starbucks skimmed latte on the station every time I go to town, I live in the back of beyond so can not get Starbucks locally. I buy Iced latte's from the supermarket in summer. Life is too short to worry about the sugar in this occasional treat.

[catwoman7 10,922]

I'm several years out at this point, but my usual drink at coffee shops (other than just regular brewed coffee, which is my standard order if I'm there in the morning) is a small iced latte with 2% (or lower) milk and sugar free Syrup. But I wasn't allowed to have caffeine for the first six months post-op, so I would have stuck with a brewed Decaf with a little milk or half & half (oddly, I don't like coffee sweet if it's hot - only when it's (the coffee's) cold).

Edited April 5, 2023 by catwoman7

[Lisa XO 117]

Unfortunately, after surgery, coffee now tastes like poison to me. 😢However, when I was in pre-op, I enjoyed light caramel frap. My doc allows coffee and I would have tried it after surgery. It uses sugar free Syrup and low fat milk. I am sure you could switch up the milk to soy if your plan doesn't allow dairy (mine does, any kind that is sugar free).
100 calories for the tall size. If I were to attempt this after surgery, it would have been about 1/4 of my daily calories so I would have waited until maintenance since eating any amount of calories is difficult enough as it is.

[pintsizedmallrat 470]

Venti hot or iced Americano, black, with Splenda. Zero calories. Zero carbs.

I also want to point out that Starbucks will make most or all of their drinks as a "short" which is 8 oz as opposed to the 12 oz tall size. It's cheaper, and if you prefer something with milk in it, you might want a smaller portion of it,

Edited April 5, 2023 by pintsizedmallrat

[Sleeve_Me_Alone 654]

sugar free blonde vanilla latte is my go-to. In the summer I might splurge on a cold foam topped cold brew and sub the Syrup for sugar free. I also really like the oat milk shaken espresso, but I typically will only get a tall, given the sugar. Any more than that and I tend to get a stomach ache.

[SuziDavis 544]

I usually just get Iced espresso with a little cream. But if I want something sweet, I am loving the Toasted Vanilla Oat Milk shaken Espresso as a treat, I just get it with half the pumps of flavor to cut the sugar and carbs. and Extra shots and ice to make less room for milk. It's so good!

Edited April 5, 2023 by SuziDavis

[Erin18 135]

I'm not a huge coffee drinker and they told me I can drink coffee and tea. I asked at my dietician appointment today. I know im not supposed to have sugary drinks and what not. That's why I'm asking what everyone's go to bariatric friendly Starbucks drinks are 🤣 to give me ideas if I want to get a Starbucks drink. I see a lot of people getting a shot of expresso. 2 packets of zero calorie sweetener, in a large cup and they fill the rest with their Protein Shakes.

But due to the fact I can't stomach Protein shakes, I wanted something that I don't have to add it in. I saw another Starbucks recipe for bariatric patients for the pink drink.

[Erin18 135]

5 hours ago, pintsizedmallrat said:

Venti hot or iced Americano, black, with Splenda. Zero calories. Zero carbs.

I also want to point out that Starbucks will make most or all of their drinks as a "short" which is 8 oz as opposed to the 12 oz tall size. It's cheaper, and if you prefer something with milk in it, you might want a smaller portion of it,

I didnt know they had smaller sizes. That would be good for me because I'm not a huge coffee drinker lol

[Erin18 135]

6 hours ago, Lisa XO said:

Unfortunately, after surgery, coffee now tastes like poison to me. 😢However, when I was in pre-op, I enjoyed light caramel frap. My doc allows coffee and I would have tried it after surgery. It uses sugar free Syrup and low fat milk. I am sure you could switch up the milk to soy if your plan doesn't allow dairy (mine does, any kind that is sugar free).
100 calories for the tall size. If I were to attempt this after surgery, it would have been about 1/4 of my daily calories so I would have waited until maintenance since eating any amount of calories is difficult enough as it is.

Coffee and tea is allowed on my plan. I drink coffee once in a blue moon tho. Soy, almond and coconut milk are all allowed on my plan and I have unsweetened vanilla almond milk and even before surgery. It tastes great in things, but non fat has more Protein. It is hard to get in the calories. But super hard to get in the fluids and protein for me too.

[pintsizedmallrat 470]

1 hour ago, Erin18 said:

I didnt know they had smaller sizes. That would be good for me because I'm not a huge coffee drinker lol

I love how cute the little cup is! It's the same size cup they use for a double espresso and it's just barely taller than my hand.

[Beachlover10 4]

I don't order Frappuccino's but my go to Starbucks order is as follows: Tall iced coffee with milk with 2 pumps of caramel Syrup. I know it's pretty simple, but I love it. You can substitute the caramel for whatever flavor you like. I know that Starbucks has sugar free vanilla syrup.

If I make coffee at home, I chill the coffee in the fridge, then add sugar free caramel Creamer and a small amount of sugar free caramel syrup.