If you are diabetic and have any kind of surgery, the need for good nutrition and glucose control continues after your surgery. Good nutrition and normal glucose levels could help you recover quicker. Your doctor may recommend a liquid diet or soft foods for you before and after surgery, but you need to use caution that anything you consume is appropriate for your diabetic diet. Always follow your doctor's nutrition advice regarding surgery. You also need to frequently check your glucose levels, regardless of what type of diet you are on after surgery.
General Diabetic Nutrition
There isn't a specific diet for diabetes. A healthy diet consists of 40 to 60 percent of calories from complex carbohydrates, 20 percent from protein, and 30 percent or less from fat. The diet should be low in salt, cholesterol and sugar. FamilyDoctor.org indicates that you can eat sugar, as long as the amount you eat is minimal and you continue to manage your blood sugar. When you have surgery, your diabetic diet may be different.
Clear Liquid Diet
Doctors recommend clear liquid diets following surgery if your body can't handle thicker liquids or soft foods. The Penn Medicine Diabetes Center recommends an 8 oz. diet soft drink, 8 oz. regular jello, 1 regular popsicle, 8 oz. apple juice or clear broth. Always follow your doctor's specific instructions regarding types of liquids and amounts in your clear liquid diet so you are not causing your glucose level to soar.
Full Liquid Diet
A full liquid diet may be recommended for you when all liquids can be digested after surgery and before you can chew and swallow solids. Some ideas to increase the protein and calorie content of your diet, according to the National Institutes of Health, include adding non-fat dry milk to beverages and soups; adding instant breakfast powder to milk, puddings, custard and milkshakes; adding strained meats to broths; adding butter to hot cereal and soups; and using prepared breakfast mixes in milk or milkshakes. Be careful when you use this diet and check your glucose levels frequently. You can try a liquid nutrition product, and there are some in stores that you can find specifically for diabetics.
Soft Diet
If you are placed on a "soft diet" after surgery, it means that your body is ready for more than just liquids but is still not ready for a regular solid diet. Some examples of soft foods include eggs, except raw and fried; canned or soft-cooked vegetables such as asparagus, carrots, beets, eggplant, mushrooms, parsley, pumpkin, spinach squash or vegetable juice; all fruit juices, banana, canned or cooked apples, apricots, cherries, peaches, pears, seedless grapes, tomatoes and soft melons if tolerated; tender meat, poultry or fish with no bones; mashed potatoes; and smooth broth. You need to watch high carbohydrate foods as carbohydrates have the greatest effect on blood glucose, according to the Joslin Diabetes Center. For example, instead of mashed potatoes, eat soft-cooked or mashed vegetables. Always follow the type of diet you were on previous to surgery.
