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DownloadYour surgical team will recommend a gradual return to drinking and then eating. For example, they will want to check that you can tolerate drinks before they suggest that you eat.
The rate at which you can return to your usual diet depends on the type of surgery you have had, and your gut’s response to your surgery. Everyone is different and gut function takes longer to return in some people than in others. Your team will let you know when you can progress to the next stage.
Stage 1. Clear fluids (CF)
Water, tea/coffee without milk, herbal tea, clear fruit juice e.g. apple juice, clear fruit squash e.g. elderflower, flavoured still water, jelly, Fortijuice, Bovril/Marmite drinks (made with hot water).
Stage 2. Free fluids (FF) includes any clear fluids plus: Tea/coffee with milk, milk, milky drinks e.g. milkshakes, fruit smoothies*, fruit juice*, yogurt*, ice cream, soup*, Meritene shake, Meritene soup, Forticreme/Fortisip/Fortisip Compact.
*no bits e.g. no fruit pips/seeds/pulp/pith, small pieces of vegetables in soup.
Stage 3. Light diet (LD)
Introduce small portions of soft and low fibre foods by selecting foods from the ‘Foods to choose’ column of the tables on pages 4-6. Fibrous foods are normally recommended as part of a healthy diet. The fibre helps to move food and fluids through the bowel and adds bulk to stools. However, for the first week or two after gut surgery, a diet lower in fibre is likely to be better tolerated.
The Light Diet: sample day meal plan.
For your first day of the Light Diet on the ward, you could choose:
Breakfast
Mid-morning
Lunch
Mid-afternoon
Dinner
From day 2 onwards choose similar foods but start to increase your portion sizes. Start to introduce small portions of well-cooked root vegetables such as carrots and swede, and tinned peeled fruit e.g. pear/peach slices.
See ‘Stage 4. Return to your usual diet’ for tips on how to build up your diet so you’re eating normally for you.
| Types of food | Foods to choose |
Foods to avoid |
|
| Breads, crackers and flour products |
White bread and rolls English muffin Crumpets Waffles Pancakes Scones White crackers e.g. cream crackers, water biscuits or Matzo |
Wholemeal, wholegrain, granary or seeded bread and rolls 50:50 bread Bread or bread products with nuts, seeds, or dried fruit Wholemeal crackers e.g. Ryvita |
|
| Breakfast cereals |
Corn flakes |
Bran based cereals e.g. All Bran, Branflakes Wholewheat cereals e.g. Shreddies, Shredded Wheat, Weetabix Cereals containing dried fruit or nuts e.g. granola, muesli, crunchy nut flakes |
|
| Starchy foods | White rice White pasta or noodles Potatoes without their skins e.g. boiled, mashed or sweet Couscous or bulgur wheat Tapioca Cassava Polenta |
Brown rice Wholemeal pasta or noodles Wholegrains e.g. quinoa, pearl barley The skins of potatoes |
|
| Dairy products |
Milk Hard, soft or cream cheese Yoghurt Crème fraiche Fromage frais Cream |
Yoghurt with pips, nuts, or seeds Cheese with fruit or nuts |
|
| Vegetables and salad Aim for 2 portions per day |
Most well cooked, soft or mashable vegetables without the peel or seeds Passata (sieved tomato) Vegetable based soups |
Raw or lightly cooked vegetables Vegetables with seeds e.g. cucumber or tomato Vegetables with skins or husks e.g. peas, sweetcorn, celery High fibre vegetables e.g. mushrooms, spinach, cabbage Beans, pulses and legumes |
|
| Fruit Aim for 2 portions per day |
Soft, ripe, peeled fruit without seeds, pips and stalks e.g. banana, peach, plum or apple Most canned or cooked fruits e.g. fruit cocktail |
Citrus fruits Berries e.g. blackberries or strawberries Prunes Dried fruit Fruit juice with bits Smoothies that contain whole blended fruits |
|
| Nuts and seeds |
Smooth peanut butter | All nuts and seeds Crunchy peanut butter Coconut |
| Types of food | Foods to choose |
Foods to avoid |
|
| Meat, fish and alternatives |
Lean meat Poultry Fish Eggs e.g. poached, scrambled, omelette Quorn and meat-free mince or pieces Tofu and tempeh Meat based soups |
Tough, gristly meat Fatty or fried meats High fat processed meats e.g. sausages, burgers, Kiev Pies/pastry Fried eggs |
|
| Desserts | Custard Ice cream Sponge pudding Milk puddings e.g. mousse, rice pudding, Crème caramel Jelly Stewed / tinned fruit (see above for details) |
Puddings with dried fruit, nuts, seeds or coconut |
|
| Snacks | Plain biscuits Plain cake and scones Chocolate Confectionery e.g. fudge Sweets Crisps Popcorn |
Biscuit, cakes or scones made with wholemeal flour Oat biscuits/flapjacks Cereal bars Biscuits, cakes and chocolate with nuts, seeds or dried fruit |
|
| Drinks | Smooth fruit juice Squash Fizzy drinks Tea, coffee or fruit tea |
Fried foods | |
| Miscellaneous | Jelly jam Shredless marmalade Lemon curd Honey or syrup Gravy Sauces e.g. Ketchup, brown sauce, mustard, Soy sauce Salad dressings e.g. mayonnaise or vinaigrette |
Jam with bits Marmalade with shred Pickles and chutneys |
|
If you need to follow this diet for a longer period of time (e.g. more than a month) your medical/surgical team or dietitian will advise.
Stage 4. Return to your usual diet.
When you no longer need a Light Diet, increase the size of your food portions and the amount of fibre in your diet.
If you have returned home while eating a Light Diet, you may wonder when you can start stage 4. The best guide is how you are tolerating your Light Diet.
If you feel you could eat larger portions, first eat larger portions of the Light Diet foods. If you tolerate these larger portions, then gradually include some of the higher fibre foods in the ‘Foods to avoid’ column of the tables on pages 4-6. The best way to start is to change from white to wholemeal bread for 1 week. Then try higher-fibre fruits and vegetables for a week, and finally introduce other foods such as nuts and seeds.
Following surgery you need more energy and protein to heal wounds and fight infection (up to 20% more). If you are struggling your dietitian may advise nutritional supplements
The Royal Sussex County Hospital
Eastern Road
Brighton
East Sussex
BN2 5BE
Telephone 01273 696955
Dietitians extension 64290
The Princess Royal Hospital
Lewes Road
Haywards Heath
West Sussex
RH16 4EX
Telephone 01444 441881
Dietitians extension 68313
This leaflet is intended for patients receiving care in Brighton & Hove or Haywards Heath.
The information in this leaflet is for guidance purposes only and is in no way intended to replace professional clinical advice by a qualified practitioner.
Publication Date: May 2021
Review Date: February 2024
