Liquid diets

What to Eat and What to Avoid During a Liquid Diet?


In order to start with liquid diets, one needs to intake only those foods which are liquid or they turn into liquid on room temperature. These foods contain very less or no amount of fibre or protein.

Which foods can be considered under fluid diets?

Other than a clear liquid diet, there are various foods that can be eaten on a full liquid diet.

Fruits and vegetables

All the fruits and vegetable juices but the pulp should be avoided unless a physician has prescribed.

Soups

  • Bouillon

  • Clear broths of beef, chicken and vegetable.

  • Blended and strained vegetable soup.

  • Strained meat or cream-based soups (may contain pureed chicken or veggies)

Dairy products

  • All kinds of cow milk (low-fat, reduced-fat, fat-free, whole,etc.)

  • Lactose less dairy products such as soya milk, almond milk or flax milk.

  • Butter

  • Sour cream

  • Custard type yoghurts

Cereals

  • Wheat cream

  • Rice cream

  • Grits

Fats

  • Butter

  • Margarine

  • Mayonnaise

  • Peanut butter or nut butter of any choice

Drinks

  • Tea and coffee

  • Fruit drinks with artificial flavours

  • Lemonade

  • Hot cocoa

  • Sports drink

  • Milkshakes

  • Pasteurized eggnog

Desserts

  • Pudding

  • Gelatin

  • Popsicles

  • Custard

  • Plain flavours of ice cream

Other types of food may be sweeteners like maple syrup and honey, herbs, brewer’s yeast.

Which foods which cannot be eaten?

All types of solid foods must be avoided when on a liquid diet and any raw, cooked or canned fruits and vegetables that contain skin and seeds.

Several other foods to avoid:

  • Nuts and seeds

  • Varieties of cheeses

  • Bread

  • Soup with rice, noodles or rice

  • Carbonated drinks such as sparkling soda, water or cold drink

  • Ice cream with solids in it

Mashed vegetables like potatoes or others are usually not considered under liquid diets, but they can be eaten if they considerably thinned.

Since these foods lack protein, people opting for this kind of a diet should include more and more foods which are rich in nutrients. Apart from concentrating on what kind of foods to eat, it is also necessary for everyone to not to skip any meal during the day.