Learn the Benefits, Risks of a Clear Liquid Diet

A clear liquid diet is simply a diet that consists of only consuming clear liquids. These diets are most often recommended for medical reasons. Liquid diets are used to clear the digestive tract of any food residue. Often, this is needed in order to preform certain medical procedures or for laboratory testing. Many times a patient will need to use a liquid diet to undergo surgery and sometimes after surgeries. Patients with certain medical conditions can often need to use a liquid diet for a limited amount of time. The main reason for using a clear liquid diet is strictly for medical purposes.

What Does the Diet Consist of?
The basic consumption of clear liquids is the components included within the medical diet. This includes clear broths, teas, and gelatins. Fruit juices that contain no pulp are also included in the diet. Lemonade and pulp-less fruit pops are also included in the diet. It is often recommended red dyes are eliminated from the liquid diet because they can alter test results. Gatorade's and other electrolyte drinks are sometimes included in liquid diets. A health professional will specifically design a liquid diet for each individual patient depending on their needs and the situation that is requiring the diet

What are the Risks of the Diet?
Many people choose to misuse the liquid diet which can cause many health dangers. The liquid diet should only be used under the supervision of a health professional and for a limited amount of time. This is because adequate calories and nutrient requirements can not be acquired through the diet. Prolonged use of the diet can lead to rapid weight loss and even starvation.

Many people misuse the liquid diet for a quick weight loss remedy. When used for this reason, serious complications can occur. It can not only lead to dizziness and fatigue due to lack of proper nutrition but other and more serous complications as well. If used for a prolonged period of time, malnutrition and starvation can begin to occur. Rapid and sudden weight loss affects the body in numerous areas, not just the digestive system.

It is best to only use this diet when recommended by a health professional. It should only be used for 3-4 days at the absolute most. A certified health professional will determine the correct amount of time needed for the diet. Never use the clear liquid diet with out the consent of a health profession or under other circumstances than that of medical purposes. Using this diet for weight loss benefits is extremely harmful and can cause serious and permanent damage.

References:
"Liquid Diets" WedMD.com
"What is a Liquid Diet" Mayoclinic.com