Healing foods, such as milk, yogurt, orange and pineapple, are important in recovery after surgery because they facilitate the formation of tissue that closes wounds and helps to diminish the scar mark.
To improve healing, it is also important to keep the body well hydrated, as this will make the skin more elastic and the scar look better. A good solution can be water-rich foods like orange, watermelon, cucumber and soups in general. Know which foods are high in water.
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Foods to heal faster
Check out the table examples of foods that contribute to a better healing of the skin and that should be consumed postoperatively after a cut or get a tattoo or piercing:
| Examples | Post-operative benefit | |
| Foods rich in Proteins | Lean meat, egg, fish, gelatine, milk and dairy products | They aid in the formation of tissue that will be needed to close the wound. |
| Foods rich in Omega 3 | Sardine, salmon, tuna or chia seeds | Reduce inflammation facilitating healing. |
| Healing fruits | Orange, strawberry, pineapple or kiwi | Important in the formation of collagen, which helps the skin to become firmer. |
| Foods rich in Vitamin K | Broccoli, asparagus or spinach | They aid in clotting by stopping bleeding and facilitating healing. |
| Foods rich in iron | Liver, egg yolk, chickpeas, peas or lentils | Helps keep healthy blood cells, which are important for bringing nutrients to the wound site. |
| Valine- rich foods | Soybeans, Brazil nuts, barley or eggplant | They improve the quality of tissue regeneration. |
| Foods rich in Vitamin E | Sunflower, hazelnut or peanut seeds | Improves the quality of the skin formed. |
| Foods rich in Vitamin A | Carrot, tomato, mango or beet | They are good for preventing inflammation of the skin. |
Taking the Cubitan food supplement can also be helpful in facilitating the healing process, especially in the case of wounds and bedsores that appear on bedridden people.
Foods that hinder healing
Certain foods, popularly known as "reasos", hinder healing and should not be consumed after surgery while still having stitches such as sweets, soda, fried or processed meats such as sausage and sausage.
These foods can impair healing because industrialized sugar and fat increase inflammation in the body and hinder the circulation of blood, which is essential for nutrients to reach the wound to heal the tissue.
Therefore, it is important to exclude from the diet everything that has fat and especially sugar, such as:
- Sugar powder, honey, cane molasses;
- Soda, candies, chocolate, ice cream and biscuits, stuffed or otherwise;
- Yogurt, chocolate milk, jams with sugar;
- Fatty meats, pork, sausage, sausage, bacon.
A good strategy is to look at the label of industrialized foods and check if there is sugar in the list of ingredients in the product. Sometimes the sugar is hidden with some strange names like maltodextrin or corn syrup. See the amount of sugar in food from day to day.
Diet to facilitate post-operative healing
A good meal option to eat in the postoperative is to take a vegetable soup, beaten in the blender with a strand of olive oil. This first meal should be liquid and can even be taken in a glass with straw to make it easier.
When the patient is less nauseous, you can make a light meal, giving preference to cooked foods and vegetables. A good tip is to eat 1 serving of grilled or boiled salmon, seasoned with herbs and broccoli, and 1 glass of orange juice whipped with strawberries.
See more tips for recovery at:
- General care after any surgery
Caramel tea helps to heal wounds
