Planning your food
Protein in your diet for upper gastrointestinal surgery
It is important that you have enough protein before and after your upper gastrointestinal surgery (surgery to the upper part of your digestive system). Protein is important for wound healing, strength and your recovery.
If you had surgery to your food pipe (oesophagus) or stomach, you need to avoid eating large meals after surgery. It is best to eat smaller amounts regularly. You might find this difficult at first, but try to eat little and often.
Snacks are a good way to include more protein, fruit and vegetables in your diet. Your dietitian (an expert on food and diet) can help you to choose snacks that are best suited to your needs.
Snacks
| Foods and portion size | Protein (grams) | Calories (kcal) |
|---|---|---|
| 100g of low-fat Greek yoghurt and 80g of raspberries | 7 | 100 |
| 2 tablespoons (80g) of fat-free cottage cheese with 3 water biscuits | 8 | 110 |
| 2 rice cakes with 1 level tablespoon (15g) of peanut butter | 5 | 154 |
| 1 medium boiled egg and 2 rye crispbreads with a thin spread of butter | 8 | 200 |
| Half a tin of tuna (56g) in water, mixed with 1 tablespoon of hummus on 2 rye crispbreads | 17 | 160 |
| 70g of cooked edamame (green soya) beans | 7 | 90 |
| 25g of whole almonds | 6 | 150 |
| 2 slices of chicken or turkey meat | 20 | 120 |
| 40g of reduced fat, meat pâté and 2 rye crispbreads | 9 | 140 |
| Foods and portion size | Protein (grams) | Calories (kcal) |
|---|---|---|
| Small can of baked beans (205g) with 2 slices of medium wholemeal bread | 20 | 330 |
| 70g of hummus and 80g of pepper | 6 | 240 |
| 125g of Greek-style yoghurt, one-quarter of a can of tinned pears and 25g of walnuts | 11 | 240 |
| 2 heaped tablespoons (100g) of cottage cheese and 30g of wholemeal crackers | 14 | 240 |
| 200ml of full-fat milk and 30g of chocolate | 8 | 290 |
| 80g of avocado with 3 thin slices (50g) of smoked salmon | 13 | 230 |
| 1 tablespoon of peanut butter with 1 medium banana and 100g of fat-free quark (a dairy product) | 15 | 300 |
| 30g of cheddar cheese with 1 slice of medium wholemeal bread | 12 | 200 |
| 1 scotch egg | 12 | 240 |
| 80g of quiche Lorraine (a French tart made with cheese and pieces of bacon or ham) | 7 | 215 |
The amount of protein in foods
The tables below help you to choose foods that are high in protein.
Each table shows the average portion size and the amount of protein and calories. This helps you to make choices that are suitable for your diet.
The numbers in the tables are based on the average amount of protein in the foods. Please check how much protein is in these products when you buy them, as the numbers in the tables might change.
| Food and portion size | Protein (grams) | Calories (kcal) |
|---|---|---|
|
Chicken or turkey breast, 2 slices without skin (80g) |
20 | 120 |
| Lean beef, 2 slices (60g) | 18 | 106 |
| Lean lamb, 2 slices (60g) | 18 | 130 |
| Lean lamb chop (with bone), 1 chop (120g) (edible portion 70g) | 21 | 150 |
| Lean ham, 2 slices (80g) | 24 | 160 |
| Chicken livers, one-quarter of a cup (35g) | 7 | 45 |
| Lean minced meat (beef, lamb, pork or turkey), 3 dessert spoons (100g) | 22 | 180 |
| Bacon (lean), 1 rasher (25g) | 6 | 70 |
| Food and portion size | Protein (grams) | Calories (kcal) |
|---|---|---|
| Tuna (canned in water), 1 small tin, drained weight (56g) | 14 | 61 |
| White fish (for example, cod or haddock), 1 fillet (150g) | 36 | 140 |
| Mackerel (smoked), 1 fillet (125g) | 30 | 380 |
| Mackerel (canned in brine), 1 tin (125g) | 16 | 200 |
| Sardines (canned), 1 tin (120g) | 20 | 206 |
| Salmon (canned), 1 small can (100g) | 19 | 215 |
| Smoked salmon, 3 thin slices (50g) | 11 | 72 |
| Salmon fillet, 1 fillet (140g) | 25 | 300 |
| Pilchards in tomato sauce, 1 small can (100g) | 18 | 144 |
| Prawns, 1 cup (75g) | 11 | 80 |
| Mussels, 1 cup (85g) | 10 | 80 |
| Food and portion size | Protein (grams) | Calories (kcal) |
|---|---|---|
| Milk (full fat), 1 glass (200ml) | 7 | 126 |
| Milk (semi-skimmed), 1 glass (200ml) | 7 | 100 |
| Milk (skimmed), 1 glass (200ml) | 7 | 70 |
| Low-fat natural yoghurt (less than 2% fat), 1 small pot (150g) | 9 | 90 |
| 0% Greek-style yoghurt, "Total" small pot size (170g) | 15 | 100 |
| 2% Greek-style yoghurt, "Total" small pot size (170g) | 14 | 125 |
| Low-fat custard, 1 pot (150g) | 6 | 134 |
| Low-fat rice pudding, 1 pot (150g) | 5 | 136 |
| Arla Skyr Natural yoghurt, 1 pot (150g) | 16.5 | 98 |
| Arla Protein yoghurt, 1 pot (200g) | 20 | 140 |
| Skimmed milk powder, 1 dessert spoon (6g) | 5 | 21 |
| Kefir milk drink, 1 glass (250ml) | 8 | 130 |
| Egg, medium (60g) | 8 | 88 |
| Egg, large (65g) | 9 | 95 |
| Egg, extra large (73g) | 10 | 107 |
| Cheddar cheese (low fat), matchbox size (30g) | 10 | 94 |
| White or hard cheese (Cheddar, Cheshire, Lancashire or Wensleydale), matchbox size (30g) | 8 | 123 |
| Low-fat cottage cheese, one-third of a standard 300g tub (2 heaped tablespoons) (100g) | 13 | 78 |
| Cottage cheese, one-third of a standard 300g tub (2 heaped tablespoons) (100g) | 12 | 110 |
| Dairylea Light cheese, 1 triangle (18g) | 3 | 26 |
| Dairylea cheese, 1 triangle (18g) | 2 | 43 |
| Quark cheese, 1 dessert spoon (50g) | 6 | 35 |
| Low-fat cheese spread, 1 dessert spoon (50g) | 8 | 77 |
| Cheese spread, 1 dessert spoon (50g) | 6 | 123 |
| Babybel cheese, 1 mini Babybel (20g) | 5 | 61 |
| Babybel Light cheese, 1 mini Babybel Light (20g) | 5 | 42 |
| Mozzarella cheese, one-quarter of a ball (30g) | 6 | 74 |
| Gouda cheese, matchbox size (30g) | 8 | 109 |
| Brie or camembert cheese, matchbox size (30g) | 6 | 90 |
| Danish blue or stilton cheese, matchbox size (30g) | 5 | 100 |
| Food and portion size | Protein (grams) | Calories (kcal) |
|---|---|---|
| Arla protein milkshake, 1 carton (225ml) | 20 | 170 |
| Weetabix on the Go Breakfast drink, 1 carton (250ml) | 8.8 | 212 |
| Weetabix on the Go Breakfast drink with protein, 1 carton (275ml) | 21 | 211 |
| Yazoo milk drink, 1 carton (200ml) | 6.4 | 130 |
| Fuel Liquid breakfast drink, 1 carton (330ml) | 20 | 214 |
| Upbeat protein drink, 1 carton (330ml) | 20 | 152 |
| Up&Go breakfast drink, 1 carton (330ml) | 12.5 | 224 |
| Nurishment drink, half a can (200ml) | 10 | 190 |
| Alpro Soya drink, 1 carton (250ml) | 8 | 155 |
| Üfit Plant Protein shake, 1 carton (310ml) | 15.2 | 186 |
| Food and portion size | Protein (grams) | Calories (kcal) |
|---|---|---|
| Baked beans, half a can (about 200g) | 10 | 151 |
| Tofu or bean curd, three-quarters of a cup (150g) | 8 | 73 |
| Kidney beans, canned weight in water, half a 410g tin drained (120g) | 10 | 126 |
| Chickpeas, canned weight in water, half a 400g tin drained (120g) | 9 | 146 |
| Lentils (cooked), 1 cup (50g) | 16 | 52 |
| Frozen soya beans, 3 heaped tablespoons (80g) | 10 | 122 |
| Edamame (green soya) beans, 3 heaped tablespoons (80g) | 10 | 104 |
| Quinoa, 1 heaped tablespoon (30g uncooked) | 4 | 93 |
| Lentil soup, 1 can (400g) | 8 | 190 |
| Food and portion size | Protein (grams) | Calories (kcal) |
|---|---|---|
| Peanuts, 40 nuts (50g) | 14 | 282 |
| Almonds, 25 nuts (50g) | 10 | 306 |
| Brazil nuts, 15 nuts (50g) | 7 | 341 |
| Cashew nuts, 50 nuts (50g) | 10 | 306 |
| Hazelnuts, 50 nuts (50g) | 7 | 325 |
| Macadamia nuts, 30 nuts (50g) | 4 | 374 |
| Pecans, 8 nuts (50g) | 5 | 345 |
| Pistachios (shells on), 45 nuts (50g) | 7 | 300 |
| Walnuts, 15 halves (50g) | 8 | 344 |
| Pumpkin seeds, 1 tablespoon (25g) | 6 | 141 |
| Sunflower seeds, 2 tablespoons (32g) | 6 | 184 |
| Pine nuts, 3 tablespoons (30g) | 4 | 206 |
| Tahini paste, 1 heaped teaspoon (19g) | 4 | 115 |
| Peanut butter, 2 tablespoons (32g) | 7 | 194 |
| Food and portion size | Protein (grams) | Calories (kcal) |
|---|---|---|
Quorn™ chicken-style pieces, one-third of a frozen bag (100g) |
14 | 103 |
| Quorn™ sausages, 1 sausage from a 250g pack of 6 (40g) | 5 | 70 |
| Quorn™ sausages (Cumberland style), 1 sausage from a 300g pack of 6 (50g) | 7 | 86 |
| Quorn™ mince, one-third of a frozen bag (100g) | 14 | 94 |
| Quorn™ family roast, one-fifth of a roast pack size 454g (90g) | 14 | 96 |
| Quorn™ peppered steak, 1 steak from a pack of 2 (100g) | 11 | 107 |
| Quorn™ quarter pounder, 1 quarter pounder from a pack of 2 (113g) | 20 | 157 |
| Quorn™ bacon-style rashers, one-quarter of a 150g pack (40g) | 5 | 76 |
| Quorn™ lemon and black pepper escalopes, 1 escalope from a pack of 2 (110g) | 11 | 249 |
Resource number: 4977/VER2
Last reviewed: June 2022
Next review: June 2025
