Liquid Diets
People resort to or are placed on liquid diets for medical intervention or meal replacement. Closely supervised by a physician, diets for medical intervention last for a limited period of time. Such a medical liquid diet works to prepare patients for a surgical or medical procedure, providing them the calories they need for energy. A completely clean digestive tract is necessary prior to the performance of medical procedures such as colonoscopy, and this is made possible only by the temporary exclusion of solid foods from one’s diet.
Those on liquid diets for meal replacement, on the other hand, work on quickly losing some weight. Most of these programs consist of liquid foods that provide some vital nutrients, taken three to five times daily. Allowing one solid meal a day, these extremely low-calorie diets permit the consumption of no more than 1,200 calories per day.
Health Concerns Regarding Liquid Diets
Do liquid diets work? Countless people are drawn to liquid diets for weight loss as they guarantee rapid and painless weight reduction. Medical practitioners, however, express serious concerns about their safety and efficacy.
One cause for concern is that those on liquid diets to lose weight often fall short of the amount of calories needed for optimum health. Experts warn people against going on an extremely low calorie diet without seeking a physician’s approval and guidance. Insufficient calorie consumption can cause starvation that may immediately or eventually lead to various health problems. Furthermore, many of these liquid formulas lack the fiber needed for digestion, thus triggering constipation or diarrhea.
Most meal replacement drinks contain different vitamins and minerals; however, they do not offer sufficient amounts of the important macronutrients, such as protein and essential fatty acids, which are necessary for normal organ function.
A liquid diet does not necessarily encourage healthier eating habits, especially among people who lack the discipline and commitment needed to stay fit and healthy. More often than not, the weight lost through liquid diets is regained once dieters resume their normal eating regimen.
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