When you have some health problems, you may need to follow a special diet for a faster recovery. Full liquid diets are among those special dietary regimens. Your doctor might recommend them if you’re:
- Experiencing difficulties chewing and swallowing
- Preparing for a scheduled surgical procedure
- In recovery following a bariatric surgery
What Foods Can You Eat?
The goal of full liquid diets is to give your digestive system some downtime. To achieve this, you’ll only eat foods that are either liquid or will turn liquid at room temperature.
Foods to eat on a full liquid diet include:
- Vegetable and fruit juices
- Soups, bouillons, and broths
- Cow’s milk and lactose-free dairy products
- Butter and sour cream
- Peanut butter and other kinds of nut butter
- Non-alcoholic drinks
- Puddings, custards, and popsicles
- Natural sweeteners
At the same time, you should avoid fruits and vegetables that have seeds, skins, or pulp. Furthermore, you must avoid meat, bread, and soups with noodles or other chunky bits in it. Finally, if you’re going to drink soft drinks, make sure to only opt for non-carbonated ones.
How Long Does the Diet Last?
As a rule, people only follow full liquid diets for short periods of time. This can range between five days and two weeks, depending on why you’ve opted for the diet. For example, if you’re preparing for bariatric surgery, you’ll have to follow the diet for two weeks ahead of it.
Doctors recommend eating 6-8 times a day while on this diet. Because this diet is low in some key nutrients, you may also need to take some liquid supplements. Sports drinks like Gatorade or Powerade are also safe choices.
Word of Warning
It is normal to experience a sudden weight loss while on this diet. But if you start experiencing nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, you need to call your doctor. That’s because all these symptoms can be a sign of an infection or other complications following a surgery.
