The soft food diet is one that includes foods that are easy to lớn chew & swallow and excludes foods with a hard texture. With careful planning, it is still possible to lớn eat a tasty, balanced diet from a variety of soft foods.
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The mechanical soft food diet is another name for the diet, và refers to lớn using equipment, such as blenders or food processors, to make food into a smooth puree.
In this article, we take a look at the foods to lớn include & those khổng lồ avoid when following a soft food diet.
The soft food diet, which includes tofu, may help people who have dental problems or are recovering from surgery.
There are many situations where people are advised to follow a soft food diet:
Following surgery
Doctors may recommend that people who have had surgery khổng lồ the mouth, head, neck, or stomach follow a soft food diet for a period following surgery.
Examples of surgery that may require a person to lớn eat a soft food diet afterward include gastrectomy, where a surgeon removes all or part of the stomach, and bariatric surgery, which is an operation khổng lồ reduce someone’s weight.
Cancer treatment
Chemotherapy và radiotherapy can make the digestive tract sore and inflamed, a condition known as mucositis. If someone is experiencing mucositis, they might benefit from a soft food diet.
Difficulty swallowing
The soft food diet may be appropriate for people who find it difficult lớn chew or swallow. This condition is called dysphagia.
For people with significant dysphagia, who are unable to lớn eat tough foods safely, a doctor or dietitian might prescribe a texture-modified diet. In this diet, users alter the texture of foods khổng lồ reduce the need to lớn chew. They may achieve this by mashing & pureeing foods.
A texture-modified diet is similar khổng lồ the soft food diet, and a doctor or dietitian may recommend it to people who may be at risk of getting food stuck in the throat or windpipe.
Doctors will assess people with dysphagia và will make appropriate dietary recommendations depending on individual needs.
The range of foods và textures offered depends on the severity of the dysphagia. Individuals should discuss options with a doctor or other professional, such as a speech và language therapist who specializes in helping people who have difficulty swallowing.
Dental problems
A soft food diet may be appropriate following dental implant or tooth extraction, such as wisdom tooth removal.
Following a procedure, it is essential to lớn follow dietary recommendations from the dentist to lớn avoid infections và other dental problems.
Dentures are removable replacements for missing teeth. They can become loose or ill-fitting over time, which makes it difficult to lớn bite and chew properly. Hard or sharp foods can dislodge the dentures, causing them to become unstable in the mouth.
The soft food diet might be more suitable for adults with dentures as it prevents food getting stuck & causing any damage.
The soft food diet does not have to be restrictive. It is crucial lớn continue khổng lồ eat a wide variety of nutritious foods, especially if recovering from surgery.
People following a soft food diet should try to eat regular meals including a variety of foods from the main food groups:
Carbohydrates to provide energy & fiber
porridge oatswhole grain biscuits with lots of milkmashed potatoeswhite or brown breadboiled pasta or rice with sauceProtein-rich foods for growth & repair
minced meats cooked in stews or casserolesfish without bones that are poached, steamed, or boiledtinned fish, such as tuna or salmon without boneseggs that are scrambled, poached, boiled, và friedbeans, lentils, và pulses, including baked beanshummustofuDairy và alternatives that contain calcium
milk and milkshakesyogurtcrème fraichecheese saucecottage cheeseFruit & vegetables for vitamins, minerals, and fiber
peeled, cooked, & mashed vegetables, such as carrots, butternut squash, & parsnipsstewed fruit or compotefruit juice & smoothiesavocadotinned fruit in juice, mashed if necessaryPeople should be sure to lớn remove the skins from all vegetable & fruit before eating.
Sauces
Followers of the soft food diet can use sauces lớn help soften foods. Options include:
gravycheese sauceparsley saucewhite saucestockDesserts
custardmilk puddings, such as rice puddingmousseice cream or sorbetAs a rule, it is best khổng lồ avoid chewy, crunchy, & dry foods when following a soft food diet.
People should take care with the following:
Carbohydrates
muesli or granola with nuts và dried fruitjacket potato skincrusts on breadgranary or sourdough breadtoast or crackersProtein
chewy, fatty meattough or overcooked meatcured meat, such as salami or chorizofish with bonesnuts, seeds, và peanut butterFruit và vegetables
raw vegetablesfruit skin, seeds, and pipsdried fruitstringy or fibrous vegetables, such as celery or pineapplefoods that contain dried fruits và nuts, such as fruit cakecorn on the cobOther foods to lớn avoid
flapjackspopcornchewy sweets, such as toffeecrispsFoods can be mashed, pureed, or covered in sauce lớn make them moist & easier lớn eat.
Here are some other preparation ideas for the soft food diet:
cut food into small piecescook all foods until they are softmash with a potato masher or forkuse a food processor or blender to puree foodsuse a sieve to lớn remove lumps from soups or stewsadd stock when cooking food lớn moisten & make it easier lớn swallowadd milk, cream, or cheese to sauces for the same reasonserve foods with a saucecook omelets or scrambled eggs with milk or butterensure meat is thoroughly cookedSome recipes and meals work well as part of a soft food diet, such as:
guacamole or mashed avocadodahl currysoupsstews và casserolestuna and mayonnaisecauliflower và cheeseA soft or mechanical diet might take a bit of getting used to, but it can be a healthful diet lớn follow. There are a few other things và tips lớn consider for people on a soft food diet, however:
Loss of appetite
For those with less of an appetite, consider smaller meals & regular snacks. Try not lớn rush meals.
Eating nutritious snacks between meals is fine. Nutritional supplement drinks can be useful if it is proving difficult lớn chew even with a soft food diet.
If problems persist, people should liên hệ a doctor, specialist nurse, or dietitian for further advice.
Fortified drinks
If someone is struggling khổng lồ maintain a healthy weight or experiencing difficulty eating a soft food diet, it might be useful to consider nutrient-rich drinks alongside meals.
Cream or full-fat milk can be used lớn make drinks & milkshakes for extra calories and fat.
Food variety
People should be sure to lớn include a variety of foods in their diet. Doing so will prevent them getting bored of the same foods and meals while ensuring that they are consuming a wide range of nutrients.
Medically reviewed by Kathy W. Warwick, RDN, CDCES, Nutrition — By Jillian Kubala, MS, RD — Updated on March 15, 2023A soft food diet is often recommended to lớn help people heal after surgery or an illness. Choose tender và easily digestible foods while limiting tough or spicy options. You should be able to resume regular eating when healed.
Medical professionals often prescribe special diets khổng lồ help people recover from certain medical procedures or bouts of illness.
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Soft diets are commonly used in the clinical setting and include foods that are soft and easy lớn digest.
If you are prescribed a soft diet, you may wonder what foods you should eat and avoid & why you were put on this diet in the first place.
This article explains everything you need lớn know about soft food diets.
Soft food diets consist of soft, easily digestible foods và are prescribed to lớn people who can’t tolerate normally textured or highly seasoned foods.
Healthcare providers commonly prescribed these diets lớn people with certain medical conditions or who are recovering from surgery.
Soft food diets are used in many settings, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, và in the home. They’re typically followed for short periods of a few days to a few weeks, though some circumstances may require the diet to be followed for a longer period.
Soft diets are often used khổng lồ treat swallowing disorders, collectively known as dysphagia. Dysphagia is common in older adults and those with neurological disorders và neurodegenerative diseases (1, 2).
In 2002 the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics published the National Dysphagia Diet (NDD), which includes several levels of dysphagia diets (3, 4):
NDD cấp độ 1 — Dysphagia-Puréed: uniform texture, pudding-like, requiring very little chewing abilityNDD cấp độ 2 — Dysphagia-Mechanically Altered: cohesive, moist, semisolid foods, requiring some chewingNDD màn chơi 3 — Dysphagia-Advanced: soft foods that require more chewing abilityRegular: all foods allowedAlthough the point of texture-modified diets is to reduce the risk of aspiration và pneumonia in people with dysphagia, current research suggests that modifying food texture may result in a worsened chất lượng of life và undernutrition, highlighting the need for more research (2).
In addition khổng lồ dysphagia, soft diets are prescribed to lớn people who have recently undergone mouth or jaw surgery that has affected their ability lớn chew.
For example, people who have undergone wisdom teeth removal, major jaw surgery, or dental implant surgery may need khổng lồ follow a soft diet lớn promote healing (5).
Soft diets are also used as transitional diets between full liquid or puréed diets and regular diets in people who have undergone abdominal surgery or are recovering from gastrointestinal illness to allow the digestive system lớn heal more effectively (6).
Additionally, soft diets can be prescribed khổng lồ people who are too weak to lớn consume regular foods, such as those undergoing chemotherapy, as well as to lớn people who have lost feeling in their face or mouth or can’t control their lips or tongue due to a stroke (7).
Although soft food diets used in both the clinical and trang chủ setting can vary, most that are used in the short term are low in fiber & bland to ease digestibility và the comfort of the person eating the diet (8).
Keep in mind that some people have to be on soft food diets for longer periods. In these cases, the diet may be higher in fiber & more flavorful than soft diets used in the short term.
summarySoft diets consist of foods that are easily chewed & digested. They’re often prescribed to lớn people with swallowing difficulties, those who have undergone abdominal surgery, & people with other medical issues.
Soft diets are used when regular-textured or highly seasoned foods can’t be tolerated, which can happen for a number of reasons.
Soft diets should not be confused with puréed diets. Although puréed foods are allowed on soft food diets, puréed diets are entirely different.
Overall, soft diets should consist of foods that are soft, as well as easy to lớn eat & digest.
Here are some examples of foods that can be enjoyed on most soft diets (7, 8):
Vegetables: soft cooked carrots, green beans, chopped cooked spinach, cooked zucchini without seeds, well-cooked broccoli florets, etc.Fruits: cooked, peeled apples or applesauce, bananas, avocado, peeled ripe peaches, cooked pears, puréed fruits, etc.Eggs: cooked whole eggs or egg whites, egg saladDairy products: cottage cheese, yogurt, soft cheeses, pudding, frozen yogurt, etc. Lower fat dairy products are typically recommended for people recovering from gastrointestinal surgery or illness. Meat, poultry, và fish: finely chopped or ground moistened poultry, soft tuna or chicken salad (without chopped raw vegetables or fruit lượt thích celery or apples), baked or broiled fish, soft meatballs, soft tofu, etc. Soups: puréed or broth-based soups with soft-cooked vegetablesMiscellaneous: gravies, sauces, smooth nut butters, unseeded jellies và jamsKeep in mind that there are different variations of soft food diets, depending on the condition they’re being used to treat. Some people with further restrictions may not be able khổng lồ tolerate certain foods for various reasons.
Therefore, it’s always best khổng lồ consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if you’re following a soft diet và have questions about what foods you’re permitted to lớn eat.
summaryCooked fruits và vegetables, easily chewable proteins, và soft starches can be enjoyed when following a soft food diet.
Many foods should be avoided when following a soft food diet. Hard khổng lồ digest foods, as well as those that are tough to lớn chew, should be restricted. Typically, spicy and very acidic foods are also off-limits.
The following foods are commonly restricted on soft diets (7, 8):
Fruits: fresh fruits (with some exceptions lượt thích avocados & bananas), fruits with peels và seeds, dried fruits, highly acidic fruits like lemons and limesDairy products: hard cheeses, cheeses with nuts or dried fruit in them, yogurt with added ingredients, such as chocolate or nutsGrains and starches: hard crackers, chewy or crusty breads, high fiber breads and grains, such as seeded breads & shredded wheat, French fries, popcorn Meat, poultry, và fish: tough cuts of meat, fried fish or poultry, whole cuts of meat or poultry, high fat processed meats, such as bacon, shellfish, soups or stews with tough chunks of meat Fats: nuts, seeds, coconut flakes, crunchy nut buttersMiscellaneous: seeded jams or jellies, chewy candiesBeverages: alcohol, caffeinated beverages may be restricted as well depending on the condition being treatedNote that your healthcare provider may recommend further restrictions depending on your medical condition. It’s important to have a good understanding of the diet that’s prescribed & your individual dietary needs.
summaryFoods that are difficult to chew and digest, as well as spicy and acidic foods, should typically be avoided when following a soft food diet.
Following any restrictive diet can be frustrating, especially when many healthy foods lượt thích raw fruits và vegetables are off-limits.
Still, there are many tasty meal và snack options for those following soft diets.
Here are some ideas for meals that can be eaten by people following soft diets:
Breakfast ideas
cream of wheat topped with cooked peaches & creamy cashew buttercrustless quiche made with eggs, goat cheese, minced spinach, and butternut squashyogurt parfait made with unsweetened yogurt, banana or canned peaches, seedless blueberry jam, and smooth almond butterLunch ideas
chicken or tuna salad made without vegetableschicken soup with soft noodles, cooked veggies, & small bits of tender, shredded chickencouscous, feta, và soft vegetable saladDinner ideas
meatloaf made with ground beef or tofu alongside mashed sweet potatoesbroiled flounder with soft-cooked beets & carrots or cheesy mashed potatoessoft chicken và rice with cooked green beans shepherds pie made with ground turkeyIn addition to lớn meals, many people following a soft diet may want khổng lồ include one or more snacks throughout the day.
Some snack ideas include:
cottage cheese with cooked or soft canned fruitvegetable và grain soupwell-blended smoothies made with protein powder, smooth nut butter, và fruitegg salad made with mashed avocadomoist pumpkin or banana bread with smooth almond butterpuréed vegetable soups, such as butternut squash soupbanana boats with smooth natural peanut butterIt’s important that all meals và snacks be as balanced as possible & include high protein foods, especially for those who have recently undergone surgery or have higher nutrient needs, such as those with cancer (9, 10).
summaryIt’s possible to consume healthy and tasty meals & snacks when following a soft diet. Meals và snacks should be nutrient-rich lớn promote healing và overall health.
Although consuming a diet consisting of only soft foods can be difficult, the following tips may make following such a diet easier (7, 8):
Choose healthy options. While soft, sugar-laden foods like cakes và pastries may seem appealing, ensuring you’re consuming healthy foods lượt thích vegetables, fruits, & proteins is best for your health. Choose a variety of nutrient-rich foods.Season your food. Using herbs and other mild seasonings can help make food more palatable. Eat small, consistent meals. Rather than consuming large meals, it’s recommended khổng lồ consume multiple small meals throughout the day when following a soft diet.Eat slowly and chew thoroughly. Taking your time while eating & chewing food thoroughly is important for many people on soft diets, including those recovering from abdominal surgery & with neurological conditions. Sit upright & take small sips of liquid between bites.Typically, soft diets are used as transitional diets for short periods until a person is ready khổng lồ start eating a regular-consistency diet again.
Your healthcare provider will give you instructions on how long you should follow a soft food diet, while a registered dietitian can provide you with any other pertinent information.
If you have any questions or concerns about following a soft food diet or how lớn transition back khổng lồ a regular-consistency diet, ask your medical provider for advice.
summaryChoosing nutritious foods, focusing on protein, planning ahead, eating small meals frequently, and taking your time while eating are all smart tips for people following soft food diets.
Healthcare providers commonly prescribe soft food diets khổng lồ help people recover from surgery & illness và make chewing và digesting food easier.
When following a soft food diet, it’s important to lớn choose soft, easily digestible foods & avoid foods that are hard khổng lồ chew or digest. Spicy and potentially irritating foods should likewise be avoided.
Although a soft food diet can be difficult to follow, it’s used to lớn promote recovery, so it’s important khổng lồ follow your healthcare provider’s instructions và comply until you’re ready lớn transition back lớn a regular diet.
