What is a Liquid Diet?

You must have come across the liquid diet that is followed by a large number of people all over the globe. Although, meant for patients to follow prior to and post a surgery, it is considered as one of the fad diet plans and is widely used for weight loss. Doctors prescribe this diet for patients before and after surgery to clean the body and intestines of food. Liquid diet, as the name suggests, is the diet plan where a person consumes only liquids for a specific period of time. No other foods are allowed in this diet. Liquid diet methods can be divided into two sub types: full liquid diet and clear liquid diet. In the former, any liquid foods (milk, honey, shakes) are consumed while in the latter only transparent liquids (like clear soup, clear fruit juices) are consumed. The clear liquid diet before surgery is prescribed, so that no food remains inside the stomach before medical surgery (especially that of the gastrointestinal tract). It helps in clearing the gastrointestinal tract of any unwanted residue in the body. On the other hand, a clear liquid diet for colonoscopy benefits in leaving the stomach and colon clear of any residue. On the flip side the liquid diet has rapidly caught on and used as a diet to lose extra pounds quickly. The weight loss is quick because the calorie intake is highly reduced because liquids are the sole components of the diet. Individuals following this diet will usually consume vegetable soups and broths, fruits juices, etc to provide their bodies with all the necessary vitamins and minerals. This is definitely better than the usual carbonated and sports drinks. Outlined below are a list of foods that are recommended for this diet. -Fruit juices without pulp -Vegetable broth - Vegetable soups -Milk and milk shakes -Strained lemonade -Fruit Punch -Sports drinks -Gelatin based products and jellies -Honey, honey in lemon water, honey in milk -Clear ice pops, candies -Tea, coffee without cream -Fruit purees -Smooth and clear ice cream One can incorporate any of these foods as breakfast, lunch and dinner. Although, these liquid diet ideas are meant only for extremely obese people , many people follow this diet regularly for losing weight. The liquid diet meant for medicalsurgery is followed only 3-4 days before and after surgery. Whereas, that meant for weight loss can be followed for 3-40 days. It is also recommended that one should not exceed the diet for more than the prescribed time. On the other hand, it is also advised to not to begin having solid foods immediately, as it can lead to indigestion, diarrhea, etc. It is also recommended to not to exercise while on a liquid diet, as it can lower the metabolism and result in loss of muscle mass. One should note that the liquid diet cleanse also has side effects associated with it. As the person's diet lacks in fibers, he / she may have difficulty in digestion and suffer from constipation. Secondly, other side effects like lack of energy, fatigue, vomiting, loose motions, etc. can be experienced. On the other hand, as weight is lost very quickly during the diet plan, there are high chances of gaining weight once the diet is stopped. Therefore, it is advisable to consult the doctor before going for this diet for weight loss.

If you want to know more about liquid diets or ou just want some liquid diet plans, read my other articles too!