Is it prohibited to eat sour foods after surgery?

There has long been a belief that eating tamarind or other sour fruits delays wound healing. Patients with injuries are often advised to avoid sour foods. However, sour fruits are rich in vitamin C, which actually helps wounds heal faster.
 

Among the foods generally restricted after surgery are alcohol, sugary foods, fast food, and chips.
 

Apart from oranges, other fruits rich in vitamin C include pomelo, raw mango, hog plum (amra), and olive (jalpai).

• One peeled pomelo (610 grams) contains more than 412% of the daily required vitamin C.

• One cup (165 grams) of raw mango provides about 67% of the daily requirement.

• 100 grams of hog plum contains 46 mg of vitamin C, which meets 51–61% of the daily requirement.

For reference, the daily requirement of vitamin C is 90 mg for men and 75 mg for women.
 

The chemical name of vitamin C is ascorbic acid, a water-soluble organic acid. Because it is not stored in the body, it must be consumed regularly through various sources.
 

How Vitamin C Helps Heal Wounds:

Vitamin C boosts the immune system, which plays a vital role in fighting infections during the wound healing process. It is also a powerful antioxidant, helping to protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. These free radicals are produced during the inflammatory phase of wound healing, and vitamin C helps neutralize them, preventing further tissue damage.
 

Collagen is a protein that forms the structural framework for healing. Vitamin C is essential for the production of collagen, which strengthens new skin and helps close wounds. Additionally, vitamin C stimulates the growth of fibroblasts and other new cells necessary for producing collagen and other components required to close wounds. As a result, new tissue forms quickly, and wounds heal faster.
 

According to the website of Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore, a post-surgery dietary guide recommends eating a variety of fruits, including oranges, which are rich in vitamin C.
For example, 100 grams of orange contains about 59 mg of vitamin C.
 

The St. John’s Medical Center in the U.S. echoes this recommendation, noting that vitamin C is extremely important for healing wounds and reducing the risk of infection. They list sour fruits and tomatoes among the best sources. In contrast, alcohol, caffeine, high-sugar, and processed foods are said to hinder the body’s ability to heal wounds properly.