Your pancreas is a large gland between your stomach and small intestine. It secretes a variety of digestive enzymes and hormones, most notably insulin. The pancreas is susceptible to inflammation and dysfunction due to trauma, infection, alcoholism, drug use and dietary toxins. Pancreatitis is a major risk factor for pancreatic cancer. Recovery from pancreatic surgery requires temporary or permanent dietary changes. Protein drinks are beneficial after surgery because they are easy to digest and don’t burden the recovering pancreas. Protein drinks can be purchased ready-made, although making your own allows you to add your own fresh ingredients and save money, too.
Dietary protein is necessary to build protein-based structures in the body such as muscle tissue, skin and other connective tissues. It’s also essential for healing injuries and synthesizing enzymes. As such, pancreatic surgery presents a serious dilemma because an injured pancreas needs protein to heal and make digestive enzymes, but it is unable to properly digest many forms of protein until it heals. Consequently, virtually all post-operative dietary recommendations involve avoiding difficult-to-digest protein such as red meat, chicken, pork and most legumes, especially if they are uncooked. Instead, patients are advised to consume readily digestible protein such as milk, soft cheeses, eggs, tofu and some fruits such as bananas and papaya. Protein supplements are also a good idea and can be easily added to drinks such as shakes and smoothies.
Protein supplements are readily digested and appropriate for patients recovering from pancreatic surgery. They also allow you to easily measure and control your protein intake. Whey, casein, egg albumin and soy extracts are common protein supplements available in powders, which can be mixed with a variety of liquids including water, milk and fruit and vegetable juices. Furthermore, milk-based protein such as whey and casein, as well as supplements derived from eggs or soybeans, are complete sources of protein because they contain all the essential amino acids.
There are many protein drinks on the market, but making your own allows you to control the amount of protein, while avoiding preservatives, additives and excessive amounts of sugar and artificial sweeteners. An injured pancreas cannot control blood sugar levels effectively or metabolize chemicals efficiently, so fresh, natural ingredients are important. As long as you’re not lactose intolerant, using low-fat milk as the base for a protein drink is a good idea because it contains protein and a variety of minerals and vitamins. Blending in bananas and peanut butter increases protein content, and adds additional fiber, vitamins and minerals. Any of the above mentioned protein supplements mix well with milk, although you could also use raw eggs, tofu or yogurt if you don’t like a powdery texture. Papaya and pineapple contain some protein, and are also rich in proteolytic enzymes that digest protein. Consequently, using fresh papaya or pineapple juice as a base for a protein drink is a good idea.
Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine; A. Fauci et al.Nutrition and Wound Healing: a Vital Role in Wound Management; Wendy ReardonArticle reviewed by Paula Martinac Last updated on: Jul 4, 2012
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