What do you think when you hear the word liquid diet? Have you ever been on a liquid diet? The questions to these

[the_ad id=”6153″]answers are mentioned here along with “how liquid diet is  beneficial for weight loss” and how it helps in other conditions as well. When we hear liquid diet, the immediate thing that pops up in our mind is detoxification and restricting calories. Whereas to some it may sound too harsh or they may relate it to crash diet. Liquid diet is of utmost importance in people suffering from gastrointestinal disorders like Crohn’s disease or ulcers and also for pre and post-operative individuals.

We mostly think of weight loss when it comes to liquid diets, but that is not all. There are a lot of medical conditions where liquid diets are prescribed and they are really advantageous.

Liquid diet can be advised for the following medical conditions.

1. Detoxification in healthy individuals.
2. During or after panchkarma procedure (a kind of detoxifying procedure in Ayurveda medicine).
3. Cancer of mouth, other teeth and gum related procedures and surgeries.
4. Crohn’s disease
5. Throat cancer and other throat related diseases.
6. “Weight loss”
7. Stomach and other gastrointestinal disorders.

Benefits of liquid diet plan

There are various benefits of this Indian liquid diet plan for weight loss; here are a few of them:

• It helps in providing rest to the gastric and intestinal organs.
• Liquid diet helps in retaining electrolyte balance.
• Helps in keeping the body hydrated.
• Helps in providing some amount of nutrition in people who are unable to take solid foods due to any mouth, throat, and esophagus related clinical issues.
• It can be used as a transition phase for patients who were previously on RT feeds, and other tube feeds.
• It helps in detoxification of the body by helping in washing out the excess toxins.
• It helps in reducing calorie intake and hence is beneficial for weight loss.

Anything in excess is not good; similarly if this “Indian liquid diet plan” is followed for a short duration then it is beneficial. Liquid diets are very low in calorie and thus are not advisable to be followed for more than a week. This may cause weakness and fatigue in normal individual who is completely dependent on the liquids for calorie intake.

Liquid diets can be further categorized into 2 types based on the nutrient contents of the items.

1. Clear liquid diets

A clear liquid diet, as the name suggests, is free of fragments of foods and fiber of any sort. These diet plans contains liquids such as plain water and broths (liquid made of water in which meats, fish, or vegetables have been simmered) which do not provide any residue and can be digested very easily. Hence, clear liquid diet items are always strained before they are consumed.

Here is a list of items that can be included in a clear liquid diet plan.

• Water
• Strained coconut water
• Strained fruit juices (no pulp)
• Strained lemonades with sugar, salt and pepper.
• Black tea with or without lemon or peach flavored.
• Black coffee with or without added cinnamon powder.
• Vegetable broth (veggies cut and boiled in water)
• Strained vegetable juices like that of cucumber, carrots and tomatoes.
• Strained clear vegetable soups

2. Full liquid diet

A full Indian liquid diet plan for “weight loss treatment” consists of items with or without fiber and residue. Only the fluid consistency of item matters in this diet. This diet is much more nutritious in comparison to a clear liquid diet and can be carried on for a longer time (though not more than 10 days).

People generally follow the 3 or 4 meal when on liquid diet, but following a 2 or 3 hourly pattern is suggested by nutritionists. Following this pattern the body can be provided with good nutrients and still the calories are on the lower side. A wide range of fluids can be included through various flavors of soups, fruit juices and smoothies.

The Indian liquid diet plans can be of good help for people looking to lose weight. According to nutritionists, whenever a weight loss regime is followed for long, the body neutralizes its effect over a period of time and the weight gets stable after some point. This Indian diet can serve as an ice breaker for the people who are now at a stable weight after weight loss regime. It also provides rest to the gastric system and changes the body’s set routine.

Liquid diets are low in calories but at the same time they are not sufficient to fulfill the calorie requirement in an individual. Therefore it should be followed for a limited period to avoid weakness and deficiencies of nutrients.

Here is a sample liquid diet for your reference

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