The soft diet provides nutritional adequacy while relying on foods with an easy texture and digestibility for those with chewing or swallowing problems. The soft diet restricts rough textures, fat and sometimes fiber content to improve eating and prevent malnutrition in people who are not able to chew regular textured meals.
Purpose
The soft diet is a transition diet for people who are unable to tolerate regular textured and flavored foods. This diet is useful if you have been sick for a long period or recently had surgery. If you have recently undergone chemotherapy or have cancer of the throat, mouth, esophagus or stomach, this diet can make eating manageable and not irritate your delicate system.
Mechanical Soft Diet
Mechanical soft diet means to change the texture of your food by the process of cutting, chopping or grinding into very small pieces to ease mastication and swallowing as stated by Jackson and Siegelbaum Gastroenterology. This diet texture is closely related to the soft diet, but has no restrictions on fat and fiber content, as it is use soley to ease the passing of food in the oral cavity. This diet may be followed by you if you have recently had dental surgery, mouth sores, radiation of the head or neck or any condition making chewing and swallowing difficult.
Foods
Foods on the soft diet have the following qualities--no seeds, no hard edges, no skin and mild seasoning, according to Wake Surgical. Foods to avoid with this diet include raw fruit with skins and seeds such as apples and strawberries; crackers, toast, stringy vegetables celery and sweet potatoes. Whole grain soft breads are tolerated well and can be dipped into liquids and gravies to increase the moisture content. All meats must be moist and tender and served with gravy or au jus to help you chew and swallow, according to Jackson and Siegelbaum Gastrogenterology. The soft diet also restricts high-fat foods, as those can cause gas and bloating, as fats are more difficult to digest.
Fiber Content
Soft diets typically exclude high fiber foods for their potential to make gas in your intestines, which can aggravate sores like those with Crohn's disease or irritable bowel syndrome. If you are going through chemotherapy or radiation of the intestines, a low fiber diet eases digestion and limits irritation on your digestive tract. If you are able to tolerate high fiber foods such as whole grain breads and soft cooked vegetables like broccoli, then add these to your diet plan.
Adequacy
Individual nutritional needs and preferences dictate the adequacy of the soft diet. If you or someone you know is not eating enough despite the change in texture, nutritional supplements may be needed to ensure adequate intake of vitamins, minerals, calories and proteins to prevent malnutrition.
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