So is there a reason our pouches can't handle sugar, or are all the sugar free suggestions from the doc simply because we should be losing weight and sugar isn't really conducive that that?

His pre-op instructions included Jello, popsicles, etc, that weren't necessarily sugar free, but the post op stuff all says sugar free. His only explanation was that things needed to be sugar free if I want to lose weight.

I'm losing weight fine, but need some calories, carbs and Protein right now. I have a hard time with the artificial sweeteners, even Splenda, so I avoid those products usually.

Anyway, I'm just curious if there's some irritant in sugar that we need to keep out of our pouches, though at this point, nearly all of what I take in goes right through the pouch since I'm on Clear liquids.

No reason, except that sugar is the #1 enemy for ALL folks...not just banded folks! :cheers2: Especially HFCS. (High Fructose Corn Syrup)

For nutrition, EAS Premium Protein is a pretty good tasting Protein powder. I prefer the chocolate and I put a scoop of Peanut Butter in it and blend it up with some ice and Water. (Not milk.) It is pretty complete and is the highest protein grams I've found (27) for the manageable amount of calories. It has 150 calories for two scoops of protein powder in eight ounces of water/ice. The peanut butter gives you even more protein and calories, and makes it just plain YUMMY! It should get you through this time without issues. Of course, you can have bouillion, SF popsicles, SF Jello and whatever else your doc allows. I lived on bouillion, jello, and popsicles after surgery! Good luck and keep posting! You will figure all this out!

I was wondering the same thing... ?

I HATE... I mean I can not stand the tase of those artificial sweetners!!

I start my medifast diet tomorrow and will have to talk to the nutrionilist about it then. I eat moslty organic and try not to use artificial crap but I have been trying the sugar free stuff. I just do not like it at all. I have tried many types and brands. They even make an all natural organic sweetner from a plant called stevia but that tastes gross too...

I dont really add sugar to much that I eat but would rather just eat small amouts of real sugar than lots of artificial sweeted crap

ugh... what to do?

Sugars in excessive amounts are definitely not good for anyone; however, when it comes to artificial sweetners - studies are starting to come out that perhaps they may be even worse for us, but it does also include an industry response which disputes the claim, regardless, I found it interesting ... see article below from Lab study ties artificial sweetener to weight gain - Diet and nutrition - MSNBC.com

"Artificial sweetener linked to weight gain<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

Rats fed food with saccharin added more body fat, researchers found<o:p></o:p>

Sun., Feb. 10, 2008

WASHINGTON - Using an artificial, no-calorie sweetener rather than sugar may make it tougher, not easier, to lose weight, U.S. researchers said Sunday.

Scientists at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, studied rats that were fed food with the artificial sweetener saccharin and rats fed food with glucose, a natural sugar.

In comparison to rats given yogurt sweetened with glucose, those that ate yogurt sweetened with saccharin went on to consume more calories and put on more weight and body fat.

The researchers said sweet foods may prompt the body to get ready to take in a lot of calories, but when sweetness in the form of artificial sweeteners is not followed by a large amount of calories, the body gets confused, which may lead to eating more or expending less energy than normal.

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"The data clearly indicate that consuming a food sweetened with no-calorie saccharin can lead to greater body-weight gain and adiposity than would consuming the same food sweetened with high-calorie sugar," Purdue researchers Susan Swithers and Terry Davidson wrote in the journal Behavioral Neuroscience, published by the American Psychological Association.

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"Such an outcome may seem counterintuitive, if not an anathema, to human clinical researchers and health care practitioners who have long recommended the use of low- and no-calorie sweeteners as a means of weight control."

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Other artificial sweeteners such as aspartame that also taste sweet but do not lead to the delivery of calories may have similar effects, the researchers said.

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"Animals may use sweet taste to predict the caloric contents of food. Eating sweet noncaloric substances may degrade this predictive relationship," the researchers wrote.<o:p></o:p>

"With the growing use of noncaloric sweeteners in the current food environment, millions of people are being exposed to sweet tastes that are not associated with caloric or nutritive consequences," the researchers added.

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The research was the latest to examine the question of whether artificial sweeteners -- used in many soft drinks and other foods — help or thwart those trying to lose weight. Various studies have offered mixed results.

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Industry responds

The new research drew criticism from the food industry.

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"This study oversimplifies the causes of obesity," Beth Hubrich, a dietitian with the Calorie Control Council, an industry association representing companies that make low- and reduced-calorie foods and beverages, said in a statement.

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"The causes of obesity are multi-factorial. Although surveys have shown that there has been an increase in the use of 'sugar-free' foods over the years, portion sizes of foods have also increased, physical activity has decreased and overall calorie intake has increased," Hubrich added.

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The council also said findings in animal studies may not be applicable to people, which the researchers acknowledged.

Davidson said by e-mail that the implication of the council's statement "that they, too, are interested in the health of the public seems insincere."

"If they were sincere, one might expect that they would be alarmed by findings from animal or human models suggesting that their products might be contributing to the obesity epidemic that continues to expand and do its damage," Davidson said.

Copyright 2008 Reuters."

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I try to avoid sugar at all cost. But I will occasionally have a bite of something sugary. I will say that I believe Jack completely and also in my own experience, I can't handle Crystal Light now and I could before my surgery. I only drink Water and milk and V-8 juice now. If you had told me I could adjust to this before surgery. I would never have believed it.

I know that when I have a bite of something sugary, that is ALL I want is that bite......my body kinda say Woooah babe......you don't do this stuff anymore....LOL It just doesn't taste as good as it once did......I am thankful to admit I do not miss it or the pounds gone since I gave it up!!