What is the liquid diet?
It consists of not ingesting solid foods, therefore smoothies, centrifuged drinks, extracted juices , vegetable purees, fruit juices and squeezed juices, etc.
Normally, the liquid diet is combined with semi-fasting or a weight loss program. In this article, however, I will talk about it in a broader, more practical and accessible to all perspective.
I remind you that real semi-fasting regimes must be practiced under the supervision of a nutritionist.
Also know that such regimes should never be prolonged, to avoid the risk of incurring deficiencies of important nutritional elements.
Liquid diet: immediate benefits
The benefits of a few days of liquid diet are many. Let’s see the most common ones:
- detoxify,
- drains excess fluids,
- it is anti-cellulite, as it helps you drink a lot of liquids and helps circulation by counteracting water retention.
- improves skin brightness thanks to the vitamins contained in fruit and vegetables and the detoxifying effect;
- It fights a bloated stomach and digestive difficulties , making the work of the stomach and intestine easier (obviously a lot depends on the centrifuged, blended or pureed foods chosen in these 3 days).
Counteracts stress
Furthermore, optimal hydration, which is achieved in this type of diet, is useful for fighting stress . In times of stress, in fact, the body dehydrates more easily. In some cases, improvements have been seen in widespread pain. Generally, there is also a good alkalizing effect and therefore a lot of acidity is eliminated from the body.
Does the liquid diet make you lose weight?
Since this diet is often proposed and considered, erroneously, as an easy and quick solution for those who need to lose weight, it is important to pay close attention to this point.
Lose weight with liquids
Probably with 3 days of liquid diet you will see a weight loss on the scale of up to 2-3 kg. It is important to know, however, that it is mostly liquids and that the lost kg are easily regained if you resume a disordered and excess-rich diet.
Useful for detoxifying the body
Therefore, it is an excellent basis for starting a detox that will then lead to a more balanced diet. In this regard, I prefer to use the word nutrition because the word diet often evokes deprivation and more easily gives rise to the impulse to transgress and feelings of guilt.
Only this type of diet can guarantee optimal weight loss and weight maintenance without putting your health at risk.
The 3-day liquid diet can also provide motivation to continue with a healthy change in your diet, since many people also experience a sense of well-being and confidence in their ability to eat well during this short period.
When to do the liquid diet
The short liquid diet is excellent during seasonal changes, especially in the transition from the winter months to spring. However, it can also be replicated during other seasonal changes, taking care to introduce more hot purees during the cold periods (therefore following the rhythms and products that nature offers).
Better to do it on weekends
Another tip: it’s best to do it on the weekend when you can combine it with rest to enhance the detoxifying effect.
By making this choice, you have the time you need to take care of your diet and enjoy this moment as a ‘treat’ for yourself, rather than experiencing food as an extra chore that further fills days that are already too full.
Ideal after excessive eating
It is also recommended after a period of excessive eating , after holidays or vacations that have left us with feelings of bloating, slight digestive difficulties, as it facilitates the work of the gastrointestinal system.
How to do the liquid diet
Even if it is only 3 days there are different ways,
- a more drastic one based only on fruit and vegetables,
- another ‘integrated’ with (at least in one meal) potatoes and peeled legumes, oil seeds and extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar.
Always avoid during these 3 days, even if they are liquids:
- coffee (and other caffeinated beverages),
- carbonated and sugary drinks,
- alcoholic beverages.
For the ingredients of smoothies, centrifuges and purees, the suggestion is to draw on what Nature offers in each season.
Some practical ideas
You can have fun combining flavors to make smoothies and purees that are tasty and pleasing to the palate, as well as healthy!
Orange juice
A blended juice with carrot, orange and pineapple is excellent for deflating, providing vitamins C and A, and detoxifying.
Green smoothie
A green smoothie made with kiwi, spinach leaves and apple for a draining smoothie, full of minerals and chlorophyll and which promotes good intestinal function;
Fennel and grapefruit juice
Also excellent is the juice extracted from fennel, celery and grapefruit, with purifying, antioxidant and remineralising properties.
Red smoothie
Again, a red smoothie with beetroot, banana and lemon, colorful and satisfying.
You can also have fun combining cooked seasonal vegetables for a fortifying vegetable soup, if you feel the need for something warm, enriched with spices and aromatic herbs.
Two special ingredients, both for centrifuges and in smoothies and purees, are:
- turmeric,
- ginger (see article),
both with anti-inflammatory properties, beneficial for the digestive system, tonic and stimulating.
You can also add so-called superfoods to smoothies such as:
- Goji berries,
- acai,
- spirulina algae,
- maca,
just to name a few or the less exotic but equally beneficial blueberries and pomegranate.
What to do after 3 days of liquid diet
It is better to return to a complete diet gradually , excluding overly cooked and processed foods in the first 3 days, which would cancel out the benefits obtained.
Liquid diet: a mistake not to make
It is important not to fall into the mistake of wanting to continue a cleansing diet like this for longer (perhaps encouraged by the feeling of well-being obtained in the 3 days) because in the long term it could cause problems as it is lacking in many nutrients necessary for the body, first of all fibre.