Can You Eat Chocolate After Bariatric Surgery?
In the grand scheme of indulgences, chocolate is at the top of many lists, and rightly so…it’s delicious! For many patients, chocolate is one of the items they believe they’ll miss the most after bariatric surgery. However, is this fear of a chocolate-less life founded? Or is chocolate perfectly OK after bariatric surgery?
This answer is nuanced, so let’s get right into it. It depends on what kind of chocolate you eat.
Dark Chocolate Is the Least Sweet but the Healthiest
Not only is the minimal added sugar a huge bonus, but dark chocolate contains some fantastic nutrients and antioxidants (flavonols, polyphenols, and catechins) that can help you lose weight. Do you have to go with the 99% cocoa, or can you cheat a little and get the 80%? When you’re talking about chocolate that pure, you have some runway. That said, even seemingly healthy foods must be eaten in moderation, so don’t get used to eating a whole bunch. Remember, while dark chocolate contains a good amount of protein and less sugar, it is very high in saturated fats. It’s also high in calories.
Milk Chocolate Is a Different Story
As the name suggests, in addition to up to 50% cocoa, milk chocolate comprises dairy or vegetable oil (depending on the brand) and added sugar. This introduces a lot of sweetness and saturated fat, especially if you eat lots of it. Here again, moderation is key. There’s nothing wrong with occasionally having a square or two, but eating more introduces a significant amount of detrimental sugar and fat into the body. Unfortunately, the problems with milk chocolate are not balanced by the benefit of whatever cocoa is in the treat.
White Chocolate
Well, we all know that white chocolate is chocolate in name only. Indeed, while it contains cocoa butter (but no cocoa solids), it’s probably better to describe white chocolate as a solidified brick or ball of sweetened milk or cream. Again, white chocolate introduces a whole load of added sugar and saturated fat. Sure, it tastes delicious and looks so pure, but there’s little nutritional justification. Does that mean you can never have it? Again, you can have some occasionally, but you must be very careful about how much you consume. Consuming too much can easily add hundreds of calories to your diet every day or week, and the result is not good.
Chocolate Syrups and Powders
We can get thrown off track with chocolate syrups and powders. These syrups and powders, for the most part, are made purely to make drinks taste better. Whether they contain artificial or natural sweeteners, they tend to be over-consumed and are too easy to drink. While we’ve been discussing moderation in this article, this is one realm you may wish to avoid entirely. Now, if you’re on a camping/hiking trip and everybody’s enjoying a cup of hot chocolate around the fire, should you avoid it? Probably not. But try drinking as little as possible.
The Bottom Line on Chocolate
As with almost every food after surgery, chocolate must be consumed carefully. You can indulge a little more in the dark chocolate realm and stay away from the white chocolate. However, whether you choose chocolate or otherwise, moderation is your best friend. So, before indulging, think about the pros and cons of having that extra bit of chocolate, and if you can, avoid it. If it’s time for a bit of indulgence and you’re willing to work it off, we won’t stop you from having a square or two. After all, life, even after bariatric surgery, is to be enjoyed and savored.
You can always discuss your thoughts on this and any other dietary concerns at your next follow-up appointment or with your support group peers. We’re looking forward to seeing your progress after surgery, so stay in touch and let us know how you’re doing.
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