There are certain conditions which need a full liquid diet. Such diet is certainly not your regular run of the mill diet, but is taken under specific conditions and for specific reasons.

What is a liquid diet? It is prescribed when a person is suffering from gastrointestinal problems or infections or surgery in the mouth that does not allow ingestion of solid food. The advantage of a full liquid diet is that it keeps the body nourished and hydrated even when solid foods cannot be consumed by the patient due to medical reasons and exigencies.

Then, what is a liquid diet provides? It provides the body with essential nutrients, salts and minerals that help to keep up the body’s immunity and keep it fit under adverse circumstances. Such diet is helpful when a patient is not exactly on a saline drip and at the same time cannot start eating full meals. It’s like a meal type which is intermediate in nature and helps tide over the threatening situation effectively. Requirement of such diet also occurs after dental procedures like tooth extraction.

A liquid diet consists of fluids such as meat and vegetable broths, soups, clear fruity juices and ices as well as popsicles. These may also include carbonated or aerated drinks and gelatin deserts. Whatever the case, in essence of the liquid diet means total absence of any trace of solid substance. Presence of even a small portion of solid would not qualify a diet as being liquid in nature.

There are some liquid food forms that consist of strained fluids which may be smooth in consistency and where the food content may either be clear or somewhat opaque. The items that could be included in this category are milk and milkshakes, cream soups and broths, both vegetarian and otherwise. In some instances fully and smooth cooked cereals like cream of wheat, oatmeal along with a dash of butter and honey could do the trick.

Some of the examples of a liquid diet are as follows:

• Fruit Juices: You can have apple or grape and cranberry juice after ensuring that the pulp has been strained out properly. However, you cannot consume canned or fresh fruits as these are full of fiber which is solid in nature.

• Soups: Broths which are of vegetables or meats and strained cream soups are ideal. But you have to necessarily avoid soups which have solid chunks or pieces floating in them, be it of meat or vegetables.

• Beverages: Soda, colas, coffee, tea and water can be consumed without a second thought.

• Milk: You can have skim or whole milk and cream. Do avoid yogurt.

• Sweets: The example of a liquid diet you can have in this category are fruit ices, sherbets and cold drinks, ice cream, custards (without fruit fibers) and puddings which are liquid in form. All solid sweets, chocolate bars and the like have to be avoided.

What to avoid: If you are on a liquid diet you cannot consume butter and cheese, meats and meat products, cereals like rice and wheat based pies or dishes, breads and pizzas or burgers are also not allowed.

Adhering to a full liquid diet is quite simple to follow. It doesn’t really take much!

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