Vets?? Kelly, Lora?

I was watching the documentary Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead last night and it really made me wonder how much nutrients we are actually absorbing after RNY.  The premise of the show was on the benefits of juicing fruits and vegetables.  Since we have to take so many supplements because we don't absorb nutrients through food anymore, is there any point in eating fruits and vegetables aside from pleasure. . . do we actually get anything out of them?   The show also warned of the danger of eating so much animal protein. . . it should only be eaten a few times a week and not as a main course.  I'm just confused on the role of macronutrients and micronutrients and what we should really be eating post RNY to stay healthy for life. . . .any insight would be appreciated.

I basically feel that piece is a a glorified infomercial for the Juicing industry.  

 

Just my 2 cents.  I recommend the book "Good Calories, Bad Calories" -- 

 

I know it seems like there should be a simple answer to your questions but I don't think there is.  I believe we get something from fruits and veggies.  Is it likely we can eat enough fruits and veggies to get all the nutrients we need?  Nope.  Not likely at all.  So we still need supplements.  But beyond enjoyment, veggies are low in calories and often high in fiber, so they help us feel full and keep our calories low.  That's a good reason to eat them, in my opinion!

I don't think juicing would be harmful for us in moderation but I think if we tried to get a lot of our nutrients through juicing, we'd be drinking a lot of calories.  And liquids go right through our pouch, so we'd probably end up feeling pretty hungry.  I think that might lead us to overeating later.

Now, I do think a lot of animal protein is probably not idea.  There is a prominent bariatric surgeon that advocates a vegan diet, Garth Davis.

We get some benefit from fruits and veggies. I mostly eat them for the fiber. But I also eat a lot of protein. Beans, cheese, fish shrimp and occasionally, steak. I can see the benefits of being a vegetarian, but I like my steak!

Steak!

As Kelly said, yes, we still get some nutrients from fruits and veggies.  We just don't get the benefit of the absorption that would normally happen in the bypassed portion of the intestine, so we don't get ALL of it.  (We also don't get ALL of the nutrients from our vitamin supplements, which is why we are encouraged to take 200% of the RDA.) We also still get all of the fiber which is really important (along with some fat) to avoid constipation, and many veggies are very filling which helps us keep our overall calories down.

I personally agree that juicing is a lot of hype -- even for people with an intact digestive system -- especially since most people use a lot of fruits which are higher in calories.  Most surgeons encourage us not to drink calories AND most juicers eliminate the portion of the fruits and vegetables where the fiber is (thereby eliminating one of the primary benefits of those foods).

I have read various positions on animal protein, and, to be honest, I am not sure what to believe as far as the science.  So my personal belief is that there isn't anything wrong with it as long as the fatty red meats are offset by lean proteins (poultry and fish, some pork). I also get a lot of protein from dairy (an animal product, of course, but not usually criticized the way the animal muscle is) and from beans.  As with everything, I try to balance my proteins and eat the higher calorie and fat red meats somewhat sparingly.

My two cents worth...

Lora

Thanks for all of your replies!  I appreciate it!