Cook books are loved by many chefs, cooking enthusiasts, house wives and gourmet lovers. People say that a picture, or a recipe in this case, is worth a thousand words. It is much simpler to start a diet when you have a list of foods and liquid diet recipes to prepare on a daily basis.
The same rule can be also applied for a full liquid diet. I call this type of eating a lifestyle rather than a diet, but to be consistent I will continue calling it a diet. In the beginning of going on a new diet it can be hard to come up with new meals for a few weeks, so I have also prepared a list of some recipes to make it simpler for you.
General advice for a full liquid diet
Quality ingredients really matter
Have you heard the saying “buy cheap, buy twice”? It works for many common household items, but it also works when it comes to choosing the food to eat. It does not mean you should aim for the most expensive items, it rather means it is better to buy high-quality produce (not necessarily organic), even if you have to sacrifice quantity.
Being on a full liquid diet is not really a lot more expensive than on any other diet. On the contrary, it is often even cheaper, because you mainly consume simple foods such as fresh fruits, which are never more expensive than for instance cured meats, different cheeses, etc. You do not necessarily have to chase organic (BIO) produce, regular fruits and vegetables can be good too. You can do your research on the “dirty dozen” fruits and vegetables, which in my opinion you should rather try to avoid eating altogether if you cannot get them organic.
What is permitted on a full liquid diet?
Everything in liquid form, but without the pulp (fibre) is allowed on this diet. I also suggest not to add any sugar or fat, including coffee cream. It is best to consume only high quality unprocessed foods, excluding or at least limiting the amount of packaged food items and/or sweetened or energetic drinks. It is quite impossible to drink sodas, colas and other processed drinks for a long period, this is not what this diet is about.
Juice drinking
If you are used to drinking lots of juices, especially from citrus fruits, it is probably best to drink through a straw to protect your teeth enamel. If you are more into savoury drinks, you can always make them by adding some salt and by choosing less sweet fruits and vegetables or simply by adding extra lemons. From experience I found that it is better to have drinks that are neither too sweet or too sour. Some fruits like grapes can make your juices too sweet, similar to celery making it too sour. Balancing sweetness with sourness is the key here.
The quality of your water
Water quality is very important. Water with a high amount of minerals can taste great, but in my opinion it is not suitable for everyday consumption. Those excessive minerals can often cause issues related to clogged arteries and bone calcification. Great if you can get mountain spring water, but if not, you can install a reverse osmosis(R/O) water filtration system to get drinking water as pure as possible. I personally do not recommend drinking distilled water for long periods, because it can be too aggressive on your teeth and bones – distilled water is technically a “dead” water.
The quality of salt and sweetener is important
There are many types of salt and sugar for sale out there. Cheapest versions of both in most places would be regular white table salt and white processed sugar. Have you heard the phrase “3 white poisons (flour, sugar and salt)”? White sugar and table salt are basically empty calories. Your body can crave to consume salt and I see no issues here if you use some good sea salt in low quantities. In contrast, there is no physiological need to consume processed sweeteners, which is considered harmful.
Sugar is better to be avoided
White sugar per se is probably the most useless food ingredient ever. It is basically just empty calories which means it has no valuable nutrients. On top of that it can easily cause body inflammation if overused, not even mentioning more serious health issues. Fruit and fruit juice are sweet enough, however sugar for some people is so addictive that it can be hard to stop eating it on a daily basis. People with autoimmune conditions often find relief when they say goodbye to any added sugar.
Not all salt is equal
White table salt is one of the worst salt types you can choose, because it often has various harmful impurities. You can find lots of articles on how regular table salt can cause damage to blood vessels. Himalayan salt is better, but the best one in my opinion is sea salt.
Some people may start experiencing heart palpitations when they attempt to stop consuming salt altogether. Too much salt on the other hand often causes increased blood pressure. How much is enough then? From my own experience eating 1-2 grams per day should be enough and not cause extra water accumulation or increased blood pressure. More vulnerable people probably should consume no more than 1 gram a day, it depends on an individual.
Finally, a list of full liquid diet foods
- Water
- Tea, coffee (without cream), lemonade
- Fruit or vegetable juice (without pulp)
- All liquid soups a.k.a broths (no added extra fat)
- Ice cream popsicles (basically frozen juice)
It is a short, but sufficient list. The information in the above paragraphs gives you theoretical knowledge, which is no less important than this list. I cannot tell you what exact juices or soups to make, eventually everything is up to you.
Summary
Full liquid diet meals are simple to make. However this diet or better call it a lifestyle requires some preparation in advance. You need to choose the right water, fresh produce, salt, sweeteners, etc. This article touched only the basics of it, but there is no need to get into too much detail for a successful start on a full liquid diet.