Liquid Diet and Special Nutrition

Liquid Diet and Special Nutrition

The importance of nutrition and an appropriate diet is increasingly emphasized today. There exist several types of dietary recommendations, that do not just help in maintaining overall health, but also aid the recovery of certain diseases or ailments. Through this article, you will understand what a liquid diet entails as part of its dietary restrictions.

What is it?
When a person is on this diet, he/she is only allowed to have foods in a liquid form. Generally, it includes clear liquids or opaque fluids, that are completely or partially fluid in consistency. In general, a diet of this sort can be classified into two basic categories, which are elaborated as follows:

1. Clear liquid diet: It includes transparent or clear liquid foods, such as meat or vegetable broth, bouillon, or clear fruit juices. It provides a lot of transparency, which is required for patients depending on the medical situation.

2. Full liquid diet: It allows liquids that can be transparent or opaque, but essentially have a smooth consistency. It is generally prescribed for people who have chewing problems, or those who are trying to restore their digestive system.

If you consume healthy liquids like soups, broths and fruits juices, you can get all the essential nutrients required without any excess calories. Secondly, you automatically cut down on refined carbohydrates, sugars and fats as none of these products contain them. You also gain all the essential fibers through fruits and vegetables that are required for quick weight loss, but, in a healthy way.

• Vegetable broths and soups
• Fruit juices with/without pulp
• Fruit punch and puree
• Milk and milk shakes
• Lemonade, lemon water and honey
• Sports drinks and protein shakes
• Jellies, clear ice pops and candies
• Tea, coffee without cream, soda
• Smooth and clear ice cream

You can plan your own diet including any of these foods in your meal plan. You can go for a full liquid diet and include some healthy foods like lean fish or cut fruits and vegetables if you are hungry. It will form a healthy diet which will also control your intake of calories. Apart from this diet plan, there are several fad or crash liquid diets that work. Let us take a look at it in detail.

When to go for this diet?
Generally, your doctor might recommend this diet, in case you are about to undergo certain medical tests, surgery, or any other medical procedure that requires your stomach or intestine to be devoid of solid food particles. The other scenario may be, when you suffer from ailments of the digestive system, like diarrhea or vomiting. In addition to this, if you have trouble swallowing or chewing, the doctor might recommend patients to go on this diet until chewing on solids and swallowing food can be achieved.

Special Nutrition
Nutrition is the power source that enables the body to function properly and keeps it healthy. The supply of nutrition furnished to the body via intake of various food items, enables it to carry out all the body functions appropriately, thereby enabling it to protect itself from invasion of viruses, bacteria and toxins. From the food consumed, the body absorbs the simple but essential minerals, vitamins, fats, proteins, carbohydrates and water into the bloodstream.

Importance of Nutrition
Once we comprehend what nutrition is, then the answer to why it is important will begin to appear vividly. Nutrients are sources of nourishment available in various food items in the form of ingredients, such as protein, fat, carbohydrate, fiber, water, vitamins and minerals. Nutrients are classified as macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients are the ones that are required in large quantities by the body, whereas, micronutrients are those nutrients that are needed in small quantities.

Macronutrients: The different macronutrients are proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fiber and water. Protein is important for the growth of the body, repair of damaged body tissues and maintenance of immune system. Low protein levels can spearhead decreased infection resistance and slower recovery process from illness. Proteins are required in greater amounts during an illness for the healing and repair of tissues. Fats and carbohydrates are major energy sources of the body and their requirement amount depends on the size, age and level of physical activity of the person. Fiber consists of carbohydrates to a great extent, however, its absorption by the body is limited, thus, its sugar and starch does not enter the bloodstream. Fluid and water intake keeps the body hydrated. Dehydration leads to diarrhea, vomiting and other health problems.

Micronutrients: Minerals and vitamins come under this category. They are needed for the proper growth and development of the human body, and facilitate the use of energy by the body. Potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorous, iron, zinc, iodine, etc. are some of the essential minerals. Vitamins are also required in tiny amounts and are classified by their chemical and biological activities.

Nutritional Elements
1. Carbohydrates: Based on the number of sugar units they contain, carbohydrates are classified as monosaccharides, disaccharides, or polysaccharides. They contain 1, 2 and 3 or more sugar units respectively. Carbohydrates require less water to digest and make up the most common source of energy. As the body can obtain energy from proteins and fats, they are not the essential nutrients. Carbohydrate-rich foodstuffs include bread, pastas, rice and beans.

2. Fats: They contain fatty acids and glycerol. If a molecule of fat has all its carbon atoms bonded to hydrogen atoms, it is known as a saturated fat. In case, some of its carbon atoms are doubly bonded to each other, it is an unsaturated fat. Saturated fats are solids while unsaturated fats are liquids. Fats disintegrate forming fatty acids and glycerol. Fatty acids are an essential dietary need while glycerol is used to produce glucose. This makes fats the energy stores of our body. Apart from this, they act as a buffer for diseases, they maintain body temperature and assist the functioning of cells. Fats act as solvents for vitamins A, D, E and K. Body can absorb these vitamins only with the help of fats. Nuts, oil and butter contain fats. Fats are also responsible for healthy skin and hair.

3. Vitamins: Vitamins work like hormones. They regulate cell and tissue growth. They are vital nutrients. Each of the vitamins if consumed in amounts less than those required by the body, leads to a deficiency disease. This makes evident their importance to the body.

• Vitamin A, known as retinal, plays a major role in eyesight. Its deficiency leads to night-blindness. Sources of this vitamin include carrots and cod liver oil.

• Vitamin B comes in different forms such as B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9 and B12. Rice bran is a major source of vitamin B1 while B2 is found in eggs. Liver provides other forms of this vitamin. B6 plays a role in protein metabolism and formation. It is necessary for the development of a healthy immune system. It plays a crucial role in fertility. Vitamin B12 is important for proper functioning of the nervous tissue. B1 with the chemical name thiamine is responsible for neural function and carbohydrate metabolism. It is necessary for healthy mucus membranes. B2 is instrumental in the maintenance of normal vision and healthy skin. It is a coenzyme used in metabolism of energy. Deficiencies of vitamins B6 and B12 may lead to Anemia. Deficiency of B9 in pregnant women leads to birth defects in children.

• Vitamin C is an antioxidant. It helps maintain healthy gums and teeth. It increases absorption of iron by the body and helps fight infections. Citrus fruits, cabbage, pineapples and broccoli are rich sources of vitamin C.
Sunlight is the richest source of vitamin D. Cheese, liver and salmon are others. This vitamin helps in the absorption of calcium and phosphate and plays a vital role in the health of bones and teeth.

• Functions of vitamins are so much inter-related. Vitamin E helps prevent destruction of vitamins A and C. Wheat germ and green leafy vegetables are rich in vitamin E.

• The synthesis of proteins in plasma, bones and kidneys is brought about by vitamin K. It is also necessary for normal clotting of blood. Spinach, lettuce, cabbage and cauliflower are sources of vitamin K.

4. Minerals: Oyster shell is a natural source of minerals. Iodized salt is an example of a mineral added as a supplement. Calcium, magnesium and phosphorous, helpful in the growth and health of bones are a few of the essential minerals. Sodium, potassium, iodine as also iron and zinc are other useful dietary minerals.

5. Proteins: Proteins are often known as the building blocks of the body. The amino acids that they contain form the structural elements of the body. Proteins are particularly needed during the growth period of any animal. Meat, grains, eggs and milk are rich in protein.

6. Fiber: The indigestible portion of plant food constitutes dietary fibers. They ease the defecation process. They provide the body with the very necessary roughage, which plays a major role in the process of digestion. Whole grain food, bran and celery are fiber-rich.

7. Water: We all know that 70% of the human body is water. This fact is sufficient to illustrate the importance of water as a basic nutrient. Human body needs around 1-7 liters of water everyday. Need of water depends on the physical activity of every individual. Water prevents the dehydration of the body.

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