Liquid diets have become popular for the weight loss side effects they can produce. The problem with an unsupervised liquid diet is that you could be losing muscle tissue instead of unwanted weight while also missing out on nutrition that your body needs to operate. Protein is part of this vital nutrition and most liquid diets will not provide enough to meet your daily needs.
Function
According to MedlinePlus, protein is in every cell of the human body and is found in every body fluid except bile and urine. Protein is also found in your skin, organs and muscles. While protein is usually associated with bodybuilders and people wanting to gain weight, it is an important part of everyone's diet. MedlinePlus also says that protein is used to repair body cells and make new cells during growth in childhood and pregnancy. Your daily protein needs depend on your age and gender. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says adult women need 46 g of protein and adult men need 56 g of protein.
Sources
Protein comes in a variety of forms and can be found in a wide variety of foods. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says meat, poultry, fish, beans, peas, tofu, eggs, seeds, nuts, milk products, grains, vegetables and fruits contain protein. Protein can also be found in whey and soy powder and in liquid supplements.
Types
Liquid diets are most commonly used for weight loss or to detoxify the body. A liquid diet requires you to replace all or some of your meals with liquid meals. The most common liquid diets include meal replacement drinks and fruit or vegetable drinks. Meal replacement drinks are advertised as a convenient way to drink a low-calorie and low-fat meal. On a fruit and vegetable liquid diet, you can use a juicer or blender to make your meals.
Considerations
A liquid diet is not the healthiest weight loss diet nor a good source of protein. According to the University of Iowa, liquid diets that are not medically supervised do not provide the body enough nutrition to function properly. Diet Spotlight also backs this claim saying that liquid diets do not contain a healthy balance of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Warning
Liquid diets can reduce your daily calorie intake to dangerously low levels, causing unhealthy weight loss and side effects and can disrupt your metabolism. According to Diet Spotlight, liquid diets can cause anemia, dizziness, constipation, muscle cramps and menstrual abnormalities. If your liquid diet does not provide enough protein for your body, you can begin to lose muscle tissue instead of excess fat. Once you begin to eat normally again, it is also likely that you will return to your former weight. The Diet Channel says that liquid diets can cause short-term weight loss but pounds are usually regained.
Member Comments