In 2025, the principles of a liquid diet include choosing easily digestible liquid foods, ensuring a balanced nutrition, controlling portion sizes and frequency, adjusting according to individual conditions, and paying attention to food temperature and hygiene.
- Selecting Easily Digestible Liquid Foods: Opt for foods like milk, yogurt, soy milk, rice soup, vegetable soup, fruit juice, and thin gruel. These foods are in liquid form and are gentle on the digestive system, making them easy to swallow and absorb. For example, skim milk can be a good source of protein, while freshly squeezed fruit juice provides vitamins. Avoid foods that are difficult to digest or cause gas, such as whole grains with husks, high - fiber vegetables, and legumes.
- Ensuring Balanced Nutrition: Although it's a liquid diet, it's crucial to maintain a balance of nutrients. Include protein - rich liquids like protein shakes (if suitable for your condition), or add a small amount of lean meat puree to the soup. For example, chicken broth with pureed chicken can increase protein intake. Incorporate healthy fats, such as a small amount of olive oil added to vegetable soup, which can help with energy supply. Also, make sure to include sources of carbohydrates, like rice in rice soup, to provide energy.
- Controlling Portion Sizes and Frequency: Adopt a small - portion, frequent - meal approach. Instead of having three large meals, have 5 - 6 small meals throughout the day. Each meal should be about 200 - 300 milliliters in volume. This helps to reduce the burden on the digestive system. For example, if you're having milk, have a 250 - milliliter glass at a time, rather than consuming a large quantity all at once.
- Adjusting According to Individual Conditions: If you have specific health conditions, such as diabetes, you need to choose low - sugar liquid foods and monitor your blood sugar levels closely. For those with kidney problems, control the intake of potassium - rich and high - protein liquids as per medical advice. For example, a diabetic patient may need to choose sugar - free yogurt and adjust the amount of fruit juice according to its sugar content.
- Paying Attention to Food Temperature and Hygiene: Keep the liquid food at an appropriate temperature, neither too hot nor too cold. Hot food can burn the mouth and esophagus, while cold food may cause discomfort in the digestive tract. Ensure strict hygiene during food preparation. Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before making juice, and use clean utensils and containers. For example, when making vegetable soup, make sure to wash the vegetables well to remove any dirt or pesticides.
Remember, a liquid diet is often a short - term solution, such as during recovery from an illness or surgery. It's essential to consult a doctor or a dietitian before starting a liquid diet to ensure it meets your specific nutritional needs and health conditions.
