What is a liquid diet?

A liquid diet is composed of liquids and foods that are liquid at room temperature. The goal of this diet is to provide liquids and part of the calories you need until you can eat solid food. Hence, the diet is often used as a middle step between clear liquids and solid foods.

Some examples of these foods or liquids are apple juice, clear broth, gelatin dessert, and weak tea. The liquid diet provides liquids, salt, and some nutrients for a few days until you can eat normal food. However, as this diet can meet calorie and protein needs for your body with liquids only temporarily, it is important to eat a variety of liquid foods while following this diet.

Uses of liquid diet

A liquid diet may be used before a test or surgery to make sure your digestive tract is empty. The digestive tract is the path that food takes through your body as it is digested. You may also need this diet after stomach or bowel (small and large intestines) surgery, or if you have problems with eating solid food.

 

Benefits of liquid diet

A liquid diet is specifically beneficial for people suffering from chronic illnesses (long term diseases) or those who have some complicated digestive disorder. It is most frequently recommended for people who are either about to undergo or have already undergone surgery as the liquids are easily digested (broken down) and do not put a strain on your stomach or intestines (digestive system). Following a clear liquid diet may help you feel better until you are able to eat solid food.

 

Foods allowed on a full liquid diet

Beverages: Coffee, tea (Mild tea, without cream or milk), mineral, bubbly, or plain water, fruit and vegetable juices (such as apple, cranberry, or grape, strained citrus juices or fruit punch)

Clear soft drinks like ginger ale, lemon-lime soda, or club soda (No cola or root beer), clear sports drinks

 

Desserts: Custard-style yogurt, pudding, plain ice cream, sherbet, sorbet, plain popsicles (avoid popsicles with pureed fruit or fiber in them), hard candy, flavored gelatin, such as Jell-O® without fruit (you may also drink gelatin as a warm beverage before it sets)

Breads and cereals: Cream of wheat, cream of rice farina, cocoa wheat pureed soups (may include pureed meats, pureed bland vegetables, and pureed white potatoes), tomato puree

Miscellaneous: Salt, mild flavored seasonings, chocolate flavoring, gravy, margarine, sugar, syrup, jelly, honey

 

Foods not allowed on full liquid diet

• Meats & meat substitutes, vegetables
• Fruit smoothies, nectars, fruit juices with pulp and prune juice (Fruit juices with unstrained fruit)
• Beverages containing alcohol
• Dairy products such as milk, hot cocoa, buttermilk, and cream
• All soups except Clear broth, Consommé
• And all other foods except Sugar, honey, syrup, clear hard candy, salt (as mentioned above)

 

Finally, you may have to follow a liquid diet because your body cannot digest (break down) solid foods. If you are suffering from some medical condition and do not follow this diet as ordered, you may have diarrhea (loose, watery stool), nausea and vomiting (throwing up), gas, or bloating. At the same time, however, liquid diet should not be used on permanent basis because of the increased risk of malnutrition and other related problems.

Tags: liquid diet

This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011 at 7:57 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.