Lower Sugar Ways to Fit Pumpkin Into a Gastric Sleeve Diet

It’s fall time and that means people are pumpkin obsessed. No doubt you’re finding pumpkin-related pictures and posts filling up your social media feeds. From pumpkin lattes to pumpkin desserts, the thoughts of pumpkin flavored foods can send people over the edge. It’s not all-together a bad thing. Pumpkin is a very healthy and nutritious food. As a member of the squash family, pumpkin is actually a fruit that is high in vitamins A, C, and K, as well as fiber, and has less than 100 calories per cup (49 for fresh or 83 for canned).

The problem with “pumpkin fever” filling your social media feed is that many of the pumpkin related pictures and recipes are for sweet or sugary pumpkin dishes. For gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and lap band patients who are maintaining a low calorie, low sugar, high protein diet, these recipes are not as easy fit.

How can weight loss surgery patients get on the pumpkin bandwagon and still follow their bariatric diet? We’ve got a few suggestions:

• Pumpkin Flavored Coffee
• Pumpkin Protein Shake
• Pumpkin Pudding(with added protein powder)
• Pumpkin Turkey Chili
• Turkey, Black Bean, and Pumpkin Chili
• Pumpkin and Sausage Bites
• Pumpkin and Bacon Soup
• Pumpkin Chaffle

These suggestions are not appropriate for all bariatric patients or for all stages. Dr. Shillingford’s bariatric patients should review their post op diet guidelines for which foods are appropriate during which stages and choose their pumpkin flavored foods accordingly. Also, coffee is not appropriate for all patients and should only be added when allowed. Pumpkin can be a good addition to a bariatric diet, but it has to be done in accordance with post op guidelines depending on the stage you are in. For questions about your gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, or lap band diet, please call Dr. Shillingford’s Boca Raton office at (561) 483-8840.