Question:
Hi! I am 4 months post-op and I added cherries to my diet as a snack meal!

I added cherries, plums, cantalopes, and grapes as a snack or a sweet tooth soother or even as a meal. I would like to know if any of the WLS patients ever have any problems with dumping from any fruits or is the natural sugar content okay for bariatric patients? I love the cherries especially since they are filling and have no sodium or fat and I like fruit salads that consist of strawberries, cantalopes, melon, and grapes and I had no problem with dumping whatsoever when I eat the fruit salads. I want to hear from the post-ops to see if you guys eat fruit on a regular basis and does it bother your pouch. I heard that some of the faithful Atkins diet followers don't eat any kind of fruit whatsoever, and the people who are watching their carbs don't consume fruit either! I don't see how people who are dieting don't eat fruit because studies have shown that fruit is healthy for you and the carbs are complex not simple carbs. Since simple carbs work in a different way it appears to me that complex carbs are better for the human body. What do you guys think about that? I have shed 71 pounds and I think that the fruits that I chose will help keep me on the right track, expecially when I get that monthly sweet tooth! I noticed from the people who I have met who are on the Atkins diet and don't consume fruit or any carbs that their hair is thinning out and their skin is dry and that they tend to have digestive problems. I noticed that I have digestive problems when I consume protein only and not fruits or vegetables. I added the fruits and my bowels are not stopped up. Please give me some feedback and opinions! Thanks and good luck to you all........PEACE....shirley/down 71 pounds!!!!    — Shirley M. (posted on July 17, 2002)

July 17, 2002
I have cut the bread carbs out completely but I eat a lot of fruit, vegetables and protein. My blood sugar used to be in the 300's, and hasn't been over 90 since my surgery (3 months). I am losing kind of slowly, but that's fine. I eat a lot of watermellon, so I feel like I am "killing two birds with one stone".
   — kultgirl

July 17, 2002
I am almost 5 months post op and I do eat fruit. Watermelon is the soooooooo good when you feel like something sweet. Since I used to always have something to drink with a meal before surgery (which of course I don't now) if you eat a little chunk or two of watermelon with the meal it helps because of the juice you get as you chew, chew, chew. I also eat grapes, nectarines and canned pineapple in it's own juice. I don't eat the skin of the grapes or the nectarines. I always try to eat protein first and add a couple little chunks of fruit, like with cottage cheese. I've lost 78lbs so I don't think it has slowed down my weight loss.
   — Kelly T.

July 17, 2002
Shirley, I, too, can eat all the fruits with no problem. Watermelon and cantalope are great when you have a sweet tooth. And I agree with you that fruit is good for you. The key for us to get in our protein, so I concentrate on that first, but always make room each day for a fruit snack. This is the best time of year for fruit!
   — Cindy R.

July 17, 2002
Some people DO dump on suagr from fruit, even though it is natural sugar. I was scared to death of dumping. I live in Florida and have orange trees in my backyard. We were always juicing them. Then I had my surgery and was so afraid to try fresh OJ, for fear of duming, cause oranges have a lot of natural sugar in them. Eventually I got brave and had some fresh OJ. Boy am I glad I did! Didn't bother me at all. Now, while the oranges aren't in season, I always have some Tropicana, calcium added, lots of pulp, in my fridge. I also eat A LOT of watermelon. Fruit is very healthy as long as one tolerates it. BUT, be sure you are getting your protein in. THAT is VERY important.
   — Kim B.

July 17, 2002
You sound just like I did at 4 months. Fruits are wonderful aren't they? I also added fruits and my weightloss nearly came to a screeching halt. I didn't sump from them but had a real plateau for almost 3 weeks. Adding fruit is adding sugar-natural-yes, but sugar none the less. Please be careful with fruits. Yes, they are good, naturally sweet and full of fiber. But adding fruit is adding sugar, and that means the body uses the sugar instead of your own FAT for energy-thus the plateau-for me anyway. I now do 2 fruits a week MAX and don't eat them 2 days in a row. I'm happy with that. I stick to 1/2 cup of any type of berries or mango. I freeze blueberries and pop them one at a time frozen. They're a treat. I also take a handful of frozen berries, put them in my mini chopper with an ounce or 2 of heavy cream and a teaspoon of Splenda and a shot of vanilla, whirl and end up with a great fruit ice cream. I do NOT eat bananas, grapes or any dried fruits. Just too many carbs in them for me. If you'd like, take a look at my profile "Diane N" and website http://www.WeightlossSurgery.ws. Best of luck to you Shirley, you're doing great. And continued weightloss success!!
   — DianeN

July 17, 2002
I eat grapes constantly. I used to be irregular but that appears no longer a problem. Plus I had low potassium early on, after adding grapes that went away too. Although I never got around to checking if grapes have potassium.
   — bob-haller