Liquid diets have become very popular in recent years as a trendy way to cleanse or detox your body to lose weight quickly and get the figure you’ve always wanted.
There are a number of reasons why these diets are catching on. Nowadays, people have become extremely busy with their jobs and other obligations, and they find it hard to find time to make healthy and nutritious food at home.
Liquid diets are readily available in the market. They are commercially prepared by companies so you feel they must be healthy. They are nutritionally analysed, simple and portion controlled making it easier for people to find the right one for them.
You can also make different smoothies at home by mixing the right amount of fruits and nutrients. A lot of people begin this diet because they want quick results and don’t want to go through the fatigue of exercise.
What is a liquid diet?
This diet, as the name suggests, consists of only liquids. You replace your meals with a shake or smoothie made with vegetable or fruit juice. You can take these fluids three or four times a day. Some types of liquid diets replace your breakfast and lunch with a drink but allow you to eat a healthy meal at dinner time.
All liquid diets are not healthy, and that’s why a lot of them can be harmful to your body. If you starve your body and do not take adequate nutrients and calories every day you are likely to feel fatigue, nausea, and dizziness.
Other side effects include overeating and binge eating because of unsatisfied hunger pangs. The best way to follow a healthy liquid diet is to plan one while making sure to include sufficient nutrients in it.
What to drink when you are on a liquid diet?
The best liquid diet is where you fulfil your daily calorie need. This may vary depending on your weight, age, height, and sex. When you choose a supplement to drink during your liquid diet make sure that it contains lots of minerals and vitamins, fibre, protein, and some healthy sources of fat as well.
If you are following a liquid diet plan where you are drinking homemade smoothies and soups make sure to include lots of vitamins and minerals in them. You should use a good quantity of vegetables for preparing your meals because they are necessary for glowing skin, high energy levels, and provide antioxidants to help fight diseases.
Make use of blended pureed soups and juices because they tend to blend all parts of various vegetables and fruits making your drink rich in fibre to help digestion. They are also full of minerals and vitamins to maintain your health. You can also add nuts or protein powder to make a satisfying drink for yourself.
The best way to follow a liquid diet
It is always advisable to consult your dietitian or your doctor before starting a liquid diet. You should consult a professional to make sure that you are not putting your health at risk by following such a limited diet.
Your dietician may recommend a nutritional supplement when you are on a liquid diet so that you get all the essential nutrients and calories required for the kind of body and lifestyle you have. People suffering from diabetics or any chronic illness and women who are pregnant should not go on a liquid diet.
Liquid diet helps you to lose weight because your calorie intake decreases but if you want to maintain your new weight, you will have to change your eating habits once you’ve finished your liquid diet routine.
Wanting to stay on a liquid diet is inadvisable and can cause malnutrition and death. Your body needs energy to function properly, and you should only go on a liquid diet (for a short duration) if recommended by a health professional.
