A liquid diet can be beneficial or required for certain health conditions and situations. Liquids digest more easily than solid foods, and provide nutrients in addition to fluids when a person needs to avoid stressing the digestive system, explains Drugs.com. Although this type of diet is very restrictive, many foods qualify for the liquid diet--more than you might expect.
Function
Because a liquid diet is easier on the digestive system than solid foods, it can be helpful during the flu and other illnesses. It usually involves eating small meals several times a day, and provides some nutrients when an individual isn't particularly hungry. In addition, patients typically must consume only liquids for a set time frame before or after surgery, as noted by Drugs.com. Certain types of surgeries may require a liquid diet for a few days afterward, such as a tonsillectomy, and some even longer, such as jaw surgery or intestinal surgery.
Possibilities
The idea of a liquid diet may lead you to think of broth and fruit juice, but a liquid diet can provide much more than this. It includes foods you can drink through a large straw without doing any chewing, explains the Centres for Endoscopic and Laparoscopic Surgery. A blender and a strainer can turn many tasty foods into meals that qualify for the liquid diet. A liquid diet also includes foods that become liquid at room temperature.
Beverages
Include fruit and vegetable juices in the liquid diet, except for juices high in sodium. Sports drinks and juice drinks that contain only a small percentage of juice are not as advisable, but are allowed. In addition, you can drink nutrition supplement beverages, milk, chocolate, and other types of flavored milk, milkshakes, coffee, tea and soda.
Foods
Although broth is a staple of a liquid diet, cream soups are included as well. Soft cereals are acceptable, such as cooked farina and baby cereal. You may also have ice cream, ice milk, yogurt, frozen ice pops, frozen pudding pops, pudding, gelatin, whipped cream and other whipped toppings, but they cannot contain nuts, fruit, candy or other solid foods.
Heartier Options
If you're allowed more dense liquid meals, you can puree macaroni and cheese, lasagna, ravioli and other casserole-style dishes, as noted by the University of Virginia Health System. Add tomato juice or another liquid if necessary. You also can include small amounts of meat, fish, cottage cheese, potatoes and other vegetables with soup as long as you puree them first. Pour all these meals through a strainer before consuming to make sure they qualify as liquid.
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