How To Read a Nutrition Label for Bariatric Surgery & Weight Loss

STEP
1

Look at servings per container. If this number is more than one, and you plan on eating the entire package, you must multiply all the information (calories, protein, carbohydrates, fats, etc) by that number.

STEP
2

Determine the serving size. The most accurate way to do this is with a food scale. By guessing you will never know how much food you are actually consuming. This can lead to a calorie surplus, and ultimately weight gain. You can also use volumetric measurements, but this may also lead to inaccurate measurements.

STEP
3

Determine the calories that are provided by that one serving. If you plan on eating more than one serving, then the calories will be greater than the label, and you will need to multiply all the information by the number of servings you are actually consuming.

Your total number of calories per day will vary. Please ask a dietician or your program what the appropriate number is for you.

STEP
4

Look at protein in grams. This will tell you the amount of protein in one serving. As a bariatric patient, you should aim to consume about 20-30 g per meal, and 10-15 g per snack from all food sources combined. The recommendation for most bariatric patients is to consume between 60 and 80 grams per day of protein. This will vary, of course, please speak with your bariatric program for your specific goals.

STEP
5

Look at carbohydrates in grams. The amount of carbohydrates needed as a bariatric patient will differ based on how far out you are from your surgery.

Initially, most patients are under 50 grams of total carbohydrates per day during the first 3-6 months. This then slowly increases and will vary based on activity level. According to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), most bariatric patients should consume about 130 grams of total carbohydrates per day to maintain their weight. You will find fiber and sugar as subcategories under carbohydrates.

I, personally, do not count net carbohydrates and do not recommend this for my patients. Net carbohydrates is the total carbohydrate content less the amount of fiber in grams. This is why many products can claim to be “zero net carbs” if they are high in fiber. I find this to be confusing and inaccurate.

Fiber still provides some calories as our gut bacteria can extract energy from this to make short-chain fatty acids, and cannot be counted as zero calories. Aiming for a good amount of fiber every meal will keep you satiated and control your blood sugars in between meals. This can keep you at a healthy weight by preventing you from overeating or over-snacking, and can even prevent low blood sugars in between meals. It can also prevent dreaded constipation, which many patients suffer from in the first year. The daily goal for fiber should be between 25-35g per day.

STEP
6

Look at fat in grams. First and foremost AVOID trans-fats, as they can increase your risk of heart disease. They can be found in some microwave popcorn, margarine, fried fast foods, pastries, non-dairy coffee creamers and junk foods. The sneaky thing is that if a label has less than 0.5 g of trans fats it can be labeled as zero! When reading your ingredients avoid foods that contain hydrogenated oil or partially hydrogenated oil.

Saturated fat should also be limited as this can also increase your risk for heart disease and elevated cholesterol. Aim for less than 3 g of saturated fats per serving. Saturated fats are found in things like butter, animal protein, coconut oil, etc. Choosing lean sources of protein and reducing red meat consumption can help keep these numbers low. Also, please don’t add butter to your coffee!!!

As a bariatric patient, your total fat should not really exceed around 50 g per day, but should also not fall below 20 g per day, especially in women, as this is the minimum amount needed for optimal hormone function.