Question:
protein drinks and beverages, together?

I know we are supposed to avoid mixing our meals with beverages. My doctor's office said it was because the liquid would wash the food through the body before it would be absorbed properly, contributing to malabsorption. Now, here is my question: is a protein drink (let's say whey powder mixed with water)considered a food or a beverage? I ask because sometimes I am thirsty even while I'm drinking my protein drink, and crave water. But I always wait the 30 minutes to drink anything else. I worry that the water will wash the protein drink through too fast. Can anyone shed some light on this?    — [Deactivated Member] (posted on December 8, 2004)

December 8, 2004
Your doc is WRONG! The reason for not drinking with meals... Drinking tends to wash more food thru our pouches, and we can eat more calories that way:( This directly from my surgeon Dr Philip Schauer. Theres enough small intestine to absorb food. but some of the intestine that absorbs iron and calcium & vitamins no longer sees food, so we need supplements.. Someone said what you did at a support group meeting and this was my docs explnation.
   — bob-haller

December 8, 2004
I meant to add, protein drinks are a liquid count as such and you can drink water with them:)
   — bob-haller

December 8, 2004
Bob's right. Drinking with meals pushes food out of the pouch and into the remaining small intestine. Nutrients are not absorbed in the pouch; they are absorbed in the small intestine. Drinking with meals only moves the food out of the pouch, leaving you with room for more food and feeling hungry. But, once the food (whether solid or liquid, like a protein drink) is in the small intestine, it works through the digestive process. The small intestine is not a hollow tube through which food gets washed. In fact, for normal people most food is in a liquid stage by the time the pyloric valve releases it into the intestines from the stomach. The digestive system is designed to process liquified nutrients in the small intestine. I can't imagine what your doctor meant, as nutrients are not absorbed in the stomach/pouch, nor are they rushed through the small intestine with liquid. Perhaps he just wants you to get used to the idea that you can't drink with food? It's a good habit to get into, but his explanation is wrong.
   — Vespa R.

December 8, 2004
Hello. I totally agree with the previous responses. I only wanted to add, so that you know, that vitamin B12 is absorbed in the stomach. That is why we must supplement it with shots or any other means. Have a good day! Amber
   — septembergirl73

December 8, 2004
How much water are we talking? Downing a 16 oz bottle immediately? Or drinking at a normal speed maybe 15 so min after the protein has a head start? Consider this: athletes usually mix them with 16-20 oz water. They, of course, have the use of a stomach and the full gut, but even so, the "fingers" in the intestine grab what they can as it goes by and THET control the speed. I often drink water before my drink and then shortly after, but none of it is guzzling
   — vitalady

December 9, 2004
Hmmm. When I see this theory, I think, "Well dang, if only I'd drunk a lot more diet coke with my double-cheese, double-pepperoni pizzas and as a pre-op, maybe I could've "malabsorbed" the pizza and lost weight. Or loaded up with more ice cream (liquid!), and lost weight. Guess I wasn't eating quite enough to get the magic of malabsorption. ;-D<P>Your doc isn't the only one who says stuff like this. My favs are those who discourage protein shakes because they "wash right through so you don't get the nutrients." To be generous, this is yet another illustration of why docs, including bariatric surgeons, aren't nutritionists. ;-) To be cynical, is it another illustration of how dumb they think we are, so they'll tell us anything to get us to change to certain eating habits of dubious value (which worked *so well* for us dieting pre-op)?<P>Go with the advice you got, you're smart to have questioned this, by golly!
   — Suzy C.