When we think of a diet, we usually think of food. However, not all diets involve modifying or changing your food choices. Some diets, such as the liquid diet—is an alternative to the solid food diet which we all are familiar with. But is the liquid diet to lose weight effective?
Let us dive deep into why people opt for liquid diets in the first place, the benefits and risks associated with liquid diets, and whether you should adopt liquid diets to lose weight. Before listing the benefits and downsides of liquid diets, let us explore what a liquid diet is.
What is a Liquid Diet?
As the name suggests, a liquid diet is a regimen that allows only the consumption of liquids or solids blended into liquid form. These liquids may be of an easily drinkable and digestible consistency. Examples include smoothies, soups, shakes, broths, vegetable juices, nut milk, and fruit juices.
The main idea behind the intake of a liquid diet is to glean the essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients without the bulk of solid food such as vegetables, grains, legumes, fruits, and meat. Liquid diets are mostly prescribed by nutritionists and healthcare experts. They are for individuals who are obese and are looking for ways to lose weight without impacting the nutrient count.
There are 4 basic types of liquid diet to lose weight:
- Clear Liquid Diet:
This is the most restrictive of the liquid diet types and allows the consumption of only clear liquids such as sparkling or plain water. This diet is suitable for individuals who have recently undergone medical procedures such as colonoscopy or gastrointestinal surgery.
- Meal Replacement Shakes:
Many people opt to take meal replacement shakes as an alternative to consuming solid food. These shakes are high in protein and low in calories, and are a convenient way to control portion sizes and check the intake of calories.
- Cleansing Liquid Diets:
This type is an effective liquid diet to lose weight, and allows consumption of only fruits and vegetable juices for a certain period of time. Although this type of diet can aid in weight loss for a short period of time, they may fail to provide you with all the essential nutrients you need for body growth.
- Protein and Nutrient-rich Liquid Diet
The consumption of broth-based soups and protein smoothies allow you to feel full while reducing your calorie intake. The protein smoothies are made with ingredients such as protein powder, fruits, and leafy green vegetables. These provide you with nutrients and minerals that are vital for optimal body functions. Plus, they are also easily digestible, and will not be a burden on your digestive tract.
Do Liquid Diets Work for Weight Loss?
While many people consider switching to a liquid diet to lose weight, it is important to remember that liquid diets are not a perfect alternative to a solid diet. However, studies have shown that liquid meal replacement diets have, indeed, led to weight loss.
According to a study on 24 obese people involving a 30-day weight loss plan, participants consumed 700 calories per day from meal replacements, but no solid food was ingested. The daily calorie count increased over the next 150 days when solid food was gradually introduced. This program was effective for weight loss, as the participants experienced a reduction in body fat from 33% to 26%. This study was conducted for a short time before solid food was gradually reintroduced.
This means that for low-calorie diets (1200–1500 calories per day), and very low-calorie diets (500 calories per day), using liquid meal replacements is an effective strategy for weight loss. However, this meal plan comes with its own risks, such as the risk of developing gallstones in some individuals. Unless solid you reintroduce solid foods in the liquid diet plan, the liquid diet will not be effective in the long run.
Liquid diets to lose weight may be effective for some time, but it is not a viable option in the long run. Consuming only liquid diets may replenish essential nutrients and fiber in your body, making you lethargic and low on energy. Additionally, short-term crash diets such as liquid meal replacement diets do little to benefit you if you return to your normal diet in the long run.
The Benefits of Liquid Diets
Here are all the benefits that a liquid diet offers:
- Results in Weight Loss:
Perhaps the greatest benefit that a liquid diet offers is aiding in weight loss. It is an effective way to initiate your weight loss journey, as it typically involves consumption of fewer calories than a regular diet. Individuals seeking to shed extra pounds and reduce their weight can choose a liquid diet to control the calorie count.
- Improves digestion:
While individuals follow liquid diets to lose weight, another benefit that it offer is improved digestion. Since it may be difficult for some to digest solid food owing to a dental or gastrointestinal surgery, liquid diets provide easily digestible nutrients. It can also alleviate digestion-related issues such as constipation, bloating, and gas.
- Detoxifies the body:
Liquid diets help to detoxify the body by giving the digestive system a rest and allowing the liver to eliminate toxins from the body.
- Increases hydration:
The intake of liquid diets typically involves consumption of a lot of fluids. These fluids keep the body hydrated, aiding in improving bodily functions such as digestion, circulation, and detoxification.
- Aids in nutrient absorption:
Liquid diets can aid in absorption of nutrients as they are easy for the body to assimilate in liquid form. This ultimately leads to overall better health and improved levels of energy.
- Reduces inflammation:
Inflammation in the body is a leading cause of various problems, such as arthritis, heart disease, and autoimmune disorders. Liquid diets eliminate processed and fatty foods, focusing on nutrient-dense liquids, which results in a reduction in inflammation.
The Downsides of Liquid Diet
Although individuals often want to follow liquid diet to lose weight, there are certain downsides of following a liquid diet:
- Lacks essential nutrients:
Liquid diets often lack essential nutrients such as fiber, vitamins, proteins, and minerals. This can lead to a build-up of deficiencies in the human body over time
- Results in muscle loss:
Since liquid diets are typically low in protein, it can lead to muscle loss and a decrease in metabolic rate. This ultimately leads to weakness, fatigue, and low energy levels.
- Lacks satiety:
Even though you may want to follow a liquid diet to lose weight, you must remember that this diet does not offer the same level of satiety as a solid food diet. This may result in increased hunger cravings, making it difficult to stick to the diet regimen in the long run.
- Causes disturbances in the balance of nutrients:
The consumption of only liquids may disrupt the natural balance of the body’s nutrients, causing imbalances and potential health problems.
Should You Adopt a Liquid Diet for Weight Loss?
Many people assume that dieting is only about restricting solid, fatty, and oily foods. But there is a whole regimen of dieting that replaces this solid food with liquid food. While it is true that people adopt liquid diets to lose weight, following this diet in the long run may disrupt the quantity of nutrients in the body. Since a liquid diet deprives the body of essential fiber, protein, and vitamins that you get from eating fresh fruits and vegetables, certain health conditions such as bloating and constipation may arise.
The Last Word
Nevertheless, following a liquid diet to lose weight may be effective for a short period of time, but it is not a healthy and viable option in the long run. Plus, it may leave you feeling drained of energy and essential nutrients if you follow it for a longer period of time.
