Are you facing trouble in chewing or digesting regular meals? If yes, then stop worrying anymore because soft diet has an answer to all your problems. Read on to know more about soft food diet that’s specifically designed for you.
A soft diet is a special diet recommended to people with specific needs. If you suffer from any of the following, chances are that your doctor will prescribe and design a unique soft diet food list for you:
This diet is not recommended for people merely wishing to lose weight. It is a doctor prescribed diet that lasts as long as your doctor feels you must follow it.
All varieties of grains are allowed during a soft diet in the form of cereals, bread, pasta, pancakes and noodles. Well-cooked vegetables, ripe and canned fruits also form part of a soft diet. Meats must be tender, well- cooked, chopped finely or simply made into soups. Dairy products can mostly be taken in any form as they are mostly found in soft varieties (yogurt, ice cream and milkshakes). Like I said, this diet is not for weight loss. Lentils, legumes and fruits must all be ripe and cooked well. If the requirement is quite severe, they can even be mashed and pureed like baby food.
A soft diet prescription bars you from consuming the following food:
In simple words, any food that’s difficult to swallow must be avoided. There is no other rule to a soft diet. You may eat whatever you want as long as it is mash-able or swallow-able.
The food must be washed and cooked thoroughly till it becomes soft. It must then be cut into tiny pieces or mashed if the patient is fairly new to the diet. It is advised that the caregiver use a blender or fork to mash or puree the food to ease swallowing. Juices and soups must be strained to remove any pulp or seeds.
Though it sounds very formal, the soft diet need not feel like a burden on the chest. Since, this diet is not meant for weight loss, you can experiment and adapt to different kinds of foods to avoid boredom. Make sure you get enough calories. Also, you may ask the doctor to prescribe a good dietary supplement.
Be sure to consume fresh fruits, legumes, milk products and meats. Don’t forget to have lots of water apart from juices. Tea, coffee and juices work equally well at hydrating your body as water does. Don’t forget to include some fats and sugar in your meals. Yes, that’s right, fit in fat and sugars.
You can experiment with all three meals. Include hot chocolate with scrambled eggs in the morning and experiment with mayonnaise and pies during lunch. For dinner, you can try vegetables or meats with different sauces and dips. Meals will never be so much fun. And let’s not forget that you are allowed desserts as well! Try jellies and trifles, ice creams and custards, smoothies and puddings. Mmmm… what a mouthwatering way to diet!
Precautions:
Needless to say, you are most probably recovering from some form of surgery and you need much more care than just a soft diet. The caretaker and patient must take great care that the soft diet includes fiber and that it maintains the patient’s body weight. An alarming drop in weight would require immediate attention. Like any other diet, a soft diet must incorporate all the nutrients as well as a healthy dose of fats.
Remember these simple points in mind and freely enjoy the delicacies of your soft diet. Please don’t forget to share your feedback. We would love to hear them.