Question:
How much sugar is too much?

I am two days pre-op and am wondering about this - my surgeon requires a liquid diet (anything that goes through a strainer) for 3 weeks. Baby food (stage one) and low fat yogurt is on the list of things I can have. I looked yesterday and the sugar content was high for the baby fruits and the yogurt - 8 to 17 grams. I didn't buy any - this sounded way too high! Last thing I want to do is dump right after surgery. How much is too much?    — Sandy T. (posted on February 16, 2003)

February 15, 2003
It varies from person to person. Some people dump on very little. Some people don't dump at all. For me, I try to never eat anything that has more than 10 grams of sugar listed on it's contents and that works for me.
   — Cathy S.

February 15, 2003
I don't know what brand/kind of yogurt you are looking at, but the Dannon Light I eat has 8 g of carbohydrates for a 4 oz. serving. Keep in mind that this is not table sugar, but lactose which is found in milk products. You may or may not be sensitive to this sugar. Also, keep in mind that you probably will not be able to eat even a 4 oz. container all at once. At this early out, a spoonful or two would probably be enough. I do eat yogurt every day, but am not lactose intolerant, so the lactose in it does not give me any trouble.
   — garw

February 16, 2003
natural food sugers are no supposed to make us dump like table suger does...the suger in baby food is natural...should be ok
   — thekatinthehat

February 16, 2003
hi I am one month post op and I dont dump at all but I do feel yukky when I eat sugar so I just dont eat it..I have thrown up off it
   — christine S.

February 16, 2003
I have 'tested the water' with sugar. One time I had to substitute regular Instant Breakfast for my sugar free one. I was careful and went slow. I was okay. I have tasted my husband's dessert. First one bite. Next time two bites. Three is all I ever want to feel satisfied. So far so good. I do not ever want to push it so far I get sick. I am very tuned into my body and maaaaaan, I listen to it. IT is in charge now. I still have eyes bigger than my stomach. Always have had that problem. Everyone stares at me in wonderment when I LOAD up my plate. One friend said to me, "You can eat all that?" My husband just shook his head and said, "Nope...she won't eat that!" I NEVER do. I don't try to. I just can't help heaping it on the plate. Old habits are SO hard to break. What? I guess I am one of those 30% (heard that stat once before) that don't dump? I've never really overdone it, so I am not sure. I don't think it would be a good thing to be able to tolerate lots of refined sugar. Though I don't plan to find my limit, I do hope there is one.
   — Ginger M.

February 16, 2003
Try Blue Bunny Lite 85 yogurt...fat free, made with Splenda. The only sugars are from fruit and lactose. The best I have tried, I eat them daily. They became a staple in my diet during that soft food stage. Now I "jazz" them up by adding 1/4 cup of Grape Nuts (for fiber & crunch and to make them more filling). Another good soft food is cottage cheese, pureed. Add it to some sugar free lime jello. Best wishes on your post-op journey :) - Anna LAP RNY 7/3/02 -113lbs.
   — Anna L.

February 16, 2003
Depends on your purpose/goal. To lose the maximum amount of weight, pick a single digit number & keep sugar g under that per meal. You were wise to skip yogurt & baby food. Baby food. does what? Fattens up babies. My personal number was 6g, as that's what my doc recommends, but you might choose 4g or 8g. Just think wt loss, and hope you never have to find out about dumping, one way or another.
   — vitalady

February 16, 2003
Hi, You might want to try Dannon Light-N-Fit in Creamy yogurt. It's fat free and only 11 grams of sugar and recommended by my doctor. I have not had any problems with the amount of sugar in it and all the flavors are really good.
   — Sissy I.