Question:
Can skim milk, 50-50 coffee and tomato juice be considered part of water intake

Sorry guys, I hit the wrong key and sent the unfinished question in. Here it is. Can you drink 50-50 coffee, skim milk and tomato juice and let it be part of your water intake.? I do drink at least 8 glasses of just water each day and wondered if these also can be counted as water intake. Also, i know cheese is a good source of protein , does it do good for protein for us? And what about eating nuts? Thanks    — Maureen C. (posted on December 29, 2003)

December 29, 2003
with the nutritionist at my doctor's office my liquid consumption is supposed to be 48+oz of water then if I can get other liquids in that is ok. You are going to get a gazillion different responses to you question. My husband who also had RNY went to a different bariatric surgeon and his nutritionist says 48+ oz of liquids with water being the preferred to drink. Your protein question is yes, cheese is an excellant source of protein and nuts also.
   — ChristineB

December 29, 2003
I only count water as water. I figure if my kidneys have to sort it out, it's not water. Coffee is anti-water (it dehydrates); milk is sugar, not water; tomato juice is harmless, but still not water. I hate the water rules! Cheese contains partial protein (add bread or whole grain to make it complete), but that does not mean it's absorbable to US.
   — vitalady

December 29, 2003
My dietitian told me that milk and juices count 1/2 for liquid intake, and anything with caffeine counts as a minus, so 50/50 coffee would at best be a wash. I've never been told by a medical professional that it has to be straight water to count (there's no way I would drink 64+ ounces of plain water per day--plain water just doesn't sit well in my pouch). I've talked with my surgeon and three dietitians about it. They all agree that non-carbonated, non-caffeinated, non-sugared drinks (like decaf tea, decaf coffee, flavored water, Crystal Light, s/f Kool-Aid, etc.) count just like plain water. Two of the dietitians actively encouraged flavored drinks as a way to get more liquids in each day. It sounds like you're doing great. To your other questions: cheese is an excellent source of protein, but it also tends to be high in fat, so don't over-rely on it for your protein. Nuts are also relatively high in both protein and fat, so again, don't go crazy. I dumped on macademias once because of the high fat content. I've also heard some say that their surgeons didn't want them to eat nuts until 3 or 6 months out. I had no such restriction, but you might want to check with your doc.
   — Vespa R.