Liquid nutrition

Question
Can someone live on a liquid diet for life?

Answer
Yes, Ashley, it is entirely possible.
For example if you take all the food you'll ever eat and blenderize it, that would be a liquid diet (and we'll assume it will be plenty of calories, and well-balance with plenty of nutrition).

I have prescribed liquid diets to people who have had a broken jaw, for example, and are not going to be able to chew for several weeks. But the diet must include a variety of foods to meet nutritional needs; especially need for calories. Merely drinking beverages instead of eating food may result in a diet that is not balanced, for instance, if you drink mostly soda (which has no nutritional value). Or even if you drink milk and juice--you will still be missing nutrients that are found in other food groups.

There are many people who must live on liquid diets because of certain conditions (like throat cancer, certain digestive disorders, strokes which affect ability to swallow, or people in a coma). Formulas like Ensure and Boost (which can be found at your local grocery or drug store) meet 100% of the daily requirements for the nutrients we know are essential; even fiber is provided in some formulas. And many formulas are adapted for other conditions the person may have, such as diabetes or kidney failure.

The bottom line is, a nutritious and well-balanced diet can be provided in liquid form and someone can live with that for many years. Just drinking whatever you feel like, however, can often lead to missing out on specific nutrients.

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