Foods That Help You Recover From Surgery

When you’re preparing for surgery, make sure you have nutritious food in your kitchen for when you get home. What you eat (and don’t eat) after surgery may affect how quickly you’ll heal and return to your normal routine. A diet rich in certain nutrients, vitamins, and minerals can help with a range of post-surgery issues. It can help fight infection, repair surgical wounds, reduce inflammation, and prevent complications, like constipation, that may develop after the surgery. 

Can a post-surgery diet impact your recovery?

What you eat after surgery directly affects your recovery. Of course, good nutrition is always a good idea because it keeps your basic bodily functions running smoothly. But eating nutrient-rich food is even more important after surgery. Getting an operation causes stress on the body. That stress can interfere with some of your vital functions, including your ability to heal and ward off infections. 

Eating a healthy diet can help support your body as it’s recovering. There are many foods that promote healing and boost your immune system. The best foods to eat after surgery include those high in protein, vitamins A and C, and zinc. 

You may not have much of an appetite after surgery, which is normal. But it’s best to start eating foods that promote healing as soon as you’re allowed to eat solid food again. (You’re usually limited to drinking liquids immediately following an operation.) Research suggests that eating as soon as you’re given the “all clear” may reduce infection risk, improve healing, and limit the amount of time you have to spend in the hospital.

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• Have constipation? Along with what you eat, there are a range of lifestyle changes and treatments you can try to help ease your discomfort.

• Managing pain? If you need pain medication after surgery, you can work with your healthcare professional to choose options with fewer side effects.

• Wondering what to eat? To help reduce the inflammation that may occur after surgery, try eating an anti-inflammatory diet.

How to prevent constipation post-surgery

Constipation is common after surgery for several reasons. Using pain medications, such as opioids, can cause your intestines to slow down, making food move much more slowly through your digestive tract. Also, you may have been drinking less to prepare for surgery. Or maybe you were told to limit exercise during your recovery. Drinking less water and exercising less can both contribute to constipation. 

You can help prevent and treat post-surgical constipation by eating foods that are high in fiber, particularly insoluble fiber. This type of fiber promotes the movement of food through your digestive system, so you’ll have regular bowel movements. If you’re having surgery to your bowels, however, you may be put on a low-fiber diet to allow them to heal.

Examples of insoluble fiber include:

• Leafy greens (such as kale)

• Whole grains (whole-wheat bread, bran cereals)

• Beans

• Brown rice

• Quinoa

• Seeds

• Nuts (almonds, walnuts)

• Fruits that have a skin you can eat (apples, pears)

Drinking plenty of water is also important for preventing and treating constipation after surgery. If you aren’t getting enough water, your stools can harden and become more difficult to pass. Although daily water intake recommendations vary, try to meet the adequate daily intake levels. (One report suggests 11.5 cups for women and 15.5 cups for men.)

What foods are good to eat after surgery?

As you recover from surgery, your body is using extra calories to help the healing process. So, you’ll need nutrient-packed food to help your wounds heal. Be sure to include foods high in the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. 

Protein

Protein has a starring role in a good post-surgery diet for several reasons. Protein gets broken down into amino acids, which are used to repair and regrow new tissue. This can help wounds heal. If you need to remain in bed or have restricted movement as you recover, eating enough protein helps restore muscle that may be lost following surgery. Protein also helps boost your immune system by providing building blocks for immune cell growth and function. Foods high in protein include:

• Chicken

• Fish

• Eggs

• Beans

• Nuts and seeds

• Quinoa

• Tofu

• Cottage cheese

• Yogurt 

• Dairy milk or soy milk

Vitamin A

Vitamin A plays a role in the processes that promote skin healing and grow new skin cells to help heal surgical incisions. Vitamin A also helps support your immune system. You can get vitamin A from: 

• Sweet potatoes

• Spinach

• Carrots

• Broccoli

• Red peppers

• Mango 

• Eggs

• Avocado

Vitamin C

Vitamin C helps direct the body to form collagen, a protein found in your skin and connective tissues. You need collagen to form new tissue during wound healing. Vitamin C also keeps your immune system running smoothly, which may reduce the risk of infection. Vitamin C is found in:

• Strawberries

• Citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruit)

• Kiwi

• Cantaloupe

• Tomatoes

• Red and green peppers

• Broccoli

• Baked potatoes

Zinc

Zinc is a mineral that plays an important role in many bodily processes, including bone metabolism, the central nervous system, and immune function. It also plays an important role in wound healing. Foods rich in zinc include:

• Fish and seafood

• Poultry

• Meat

• Fish

• Eggs

• Whole grains

• Beans and lentils

Foods to avoid while recovering from surgery

Eating foods with low nutritional value, like highly processed foods (such as fast food or packaged snack foods), after surgery means you’ll have less room in your diet for the foods that support your recovery. Foods with low nutritional value can also cause or worsen constipation because they’re usually low in fiber. Foods high in fat, such as bacon, also contribute to constipation because fat slows digestion. 

Examples of foods to avoid while recovering from surgery include:

• Red meat

• Processed meats (hot dogs, sausage)

• Fast food

• Cheese

• Anything high in sugar (cookies, cake, ice cream)

• Chips

• Products made with refined grains (white bread, white pasta)

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Jessica Brown

Jessica Brown is an experienced writer and editor who specializes in health and medicine. She began her career in the magazine industry.

Edited by:

Laurie Tarkan

Laurie Tarkan is a senior health editor for general health and well-being at GoodRx. She has an extensive background in health journalism, and wrote regularly for The New York Times for a decade.

Reviewed by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

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