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Liquid Diet

Submitted by Nick on February 3, 2011

What is a liquid diet plan?

A liquid diet is one of the new diet plans that people follow, for rapid weight loss. In most instances, people only go on to a liquid diet upon the recommendation of a doctor or a medical expert, in order to lose a large amount of weight. Hence, a liquid diet weight loss program is a lot like a medically supervised diet, in which a person’s daily caloric intake should not exceed 600 to 800 calories. However, there are several people who would like to follow healthy liquid diets that work for weight loss or skin problems, in order to detoxify their bodies.


Like water, most liquids help in flushing out the toxins from the human body. This is because when the stomach is put on a diet that comprises only liquids for a short period of time, the nutrients are absorbed by the intestines directly and within a shorter span of time.

Since most liquid diet ingredients are high in vitamins and low in fat, this diet is excellent for the skin and overall health.


In fact people suffering from major digestive disorders should also consider going on a liquid diet, to rejuvenate the digestive system. Following a liquid diet menu plan for a certain period of time can also help delay the aging process, but only if the correct recipes are used. Not everyone can follow a liquid diet for weight loss; most people are required to undergo screening procedures, like a blood test to ensure that it is safe for them to switch over to liquid diet foods.


Even after a person gets an approval to include nothing by liquid diet recipes in their daily diet, it is important to ensure that this plan is followed only for a short period of time, to avoid any complications.

Like the name suggests, a liquid diet is usually an eating plan, in which a person does not consume any solid foods. However, there are several different types of liquid diets, each of which permit the intake of different foods.


In some liquid diets, only clear liquids are allowed; this is known as a clear liquid diet. However, there are other diets, in which all the meals need to be replaced with liquids like shakes, soups or juices. In some liquid diets, only a couple of meals, like perhaps breakfast and lunch are replaced with a healthy drink and the person is allowed to have a balanced diet. Any healthy diet consists of at least 5 meals and therefore, the person following a liquid diet should either have a healthy beverage, like some milkshake or even a snack bar. The main purpose of following a liquid diet is losing weight, due to a health problem. However, many people use liquid diet recipes for weight loss, so that they can detoxify their bodies. In case a person is trying to follow a clear liquid diet, then the food options are a bit limited, as they include mainly water, gelatin and broth. These foods are easily digested and do not leave any residue behind, within the digestive tract. However, these foods do not provide the body with any nutrients and therefore a clear liquid diet should be used very carefully. Several doctors usually prescribe liquid diet recipes for cancer patients or for patients suffering from other medical conditions and need to undergo a colonoscopy soon, for which no food needs to be present within the intestines. Nevertheless, whether the diet is supervised by a medical expert or not, people should ensure that they do not follow it for an extended period of time, or else it could lead to several complications. People could see side effects like nausea, diarrhea or vomiting may be seen after a liquid diet is followed.

Given below are some of the common foods that are considered acceptable for people following a clear liquid diet:

• Water
• Celery soup
• Coffee
• Bouillon
• Cream
• Fruit juices
• Honey
• Cooked and strained cereal
• Ice
• Lemonade
• Liquid meal replacements
• Yogurt
• Syrup 
• Tomato juice
• Margarine
• Clear Soup
• Milk and milkshakes 
• Broth
• Soft custard (or even baked custard)
• Thinly pureed fruits
• Oil
• Pasteurized eggnog 
• Tea
• Butter
• Soft ice cream
• Carbonated beverages
• Vegetable juices
• Smoothies
• Tomato puree for cream soup 

Even though a person following a liquid diet is supposed to avoid solid foods, this does not mean that the patient needs to starve. Like any other healthy diet plan, liquid diets too, consist of regular meals, placed at frequent intervals in the day. Given below is an example of a liquid diet menu for one day:

Breakfast:

• One glass water
• One glass fruit juice
• One bowl gelatin
• One cup broth

Lunch

• One glass water
• One glass fruit juice
• One bowl gelatin
• One cup broth

Dinner

• One glass fresh vegetable juice
• One bowl gelatin
• One cup broth
• One cup of tea or coffee (no cream)

Snacks (any one at a time)

• One cup of either tea or coffee (devoid of any cream) along with a bowl of gelatin
• One flavored ice pop or popsicle, without any fruit pulp
• A glass of a soft drink, which could also include a carbonated beverage

Even though there may be certain advantages and benefits that are associated with a healthy liquid diet, this program should only be followed by those people who are about to go through a medical procedure. For weight loss purposes, this diet is only suitable for those who are quite obese and need to get rid of a huge amount of fat. However, it is quite natural for people suffering from preexisting medical conditions to take medication. Hence, the effects of the liquid diet on medication should also be carefully discussed with a doctor, before any of the liquid diet ideas are incorporated. In most cases, individuals who need to follow a liquid diet are advised to make a gradual transition from their regular diet to the liquid diet. A sudden change in diet can have serious repercussions as it places a considerable strain on the body.

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