Thick water is a type of drink used for dysphagia, a swallowing disorder. It helps prevent pulmonary aspiration during the act of swallowing in those with that condition. Foods can also be thickened to make swallowing safer. Everybody has had food “go down the wrong way”! HPFY has five thickened water products that prevent a person from choking on water.
Most people have probably never heard of thick or thickened water – not until it becomes a necessity anyway. Thick or thickened water is used most often for a swallowing disorder called dysphagia. Swallowing involves using several muscles and nerves to get the food or drink from the mouth into the stomach. A person with swallowing difficulties may feel it hard or even impossible to get the food down their throat or esophagus due to some blockage in the esophageal tube or neuromuscular weakness in the tongue or mouth.
Dysphagia can be mild or severe and, in certain cases, cause pulmonary aspiration (i.e., food or drinks making their way into the lower respiratory area), leading to a cough or potentially even pneumonia. Patients who have been extubated are often advised to use food thickeners.
The IDDSI addresses the appropriate viscosity and consistency of thickened water. According to which the thickness of a liquid is evaluated by the amount of liquid that pours out of a 10 mL syringe in 10 seconds.
People experiencing difficulty swallowing may benefit from the use of chunky water. But, before the administration of food thickener, it is recommended to consult a medical professional. Usually, swallowing is diagnosed by a speech-language pathologist. The specialist assesses the facial and oral structure and watches the patient eat and drink. The most common medical conditions that can cause swallowing problems are -
People living with neurological conditions like Parkinson’s, Dementia, or Alzheimer’s may develop swallowing problems.
Thick & Easy Hydrolyte Nectar Consistency Lemon Thickened Water offers a dignified and flavorful drinking experience for those with dysphagia. Thickened with clear thickener for natural water appearance.
Thick & Easy Hydrolyte Honey Consistency Lemon Thickened Water meets the special needs of individuals with swallowing difficulties, i.e., dysphagia. Thick & Easy Hydrolyte Honey Lemon Water provides 100% recommended daily allowance of Vitamin C.
This chunky Water is calorie, sugar, and carbohydrate-free. Thick it is artesian mineral water with no lemon flavor or sweeteners added. It provides proper nutrition and hydration for people with swallowing disorders.
Kent Thick-It Clear Advantage Thickened Water is made with pure artesian mineral water and is flavorless so that one can enjoy it alone or with a hot or cold beverage. Thick-It Clear Advantage is a xanthan-based thickener that offers pure hydration and results in a soft consistency, making it easy to swallow. The thick liquid mixes easily with powdered drink mixes, cocoa, laxatives, and supplements without altering the flavor or color.
Thick and Easy is designed for people with swallowing issues and people who suffer from dysphagia. Hormel liquids are thick liquids that do not enter the airway easily and reduce the problem of malnutrition by providing necessary nutrition.
People with swallowing difficulties can make drinking easier with thick water. Thick water allows for safer swallowing and helps improve the quality of life, and makes being nourished much easy despite their swallowing disorders.
Many have asked, “How do I make thick water?” If you are one of them, your search ends here. To make your food or water thick, you need a good quality beverage thickener, but choosing one may seem complicated and confusing. At HPFY, we have these 5 great food thickeners to make life easier.
The pre-measured packets allow for fast and easy preparation of beverages anywhere. This FDA-approved thickener does not continue to thicken over time and uses 60% less gel to achieve the desired thickness. The single-use packaging does not require spoons or scoops while eliminating open packaging. As a gel, it does not lump and only adds 1-3 g of carbohydrates.
Ideal for those with dysphagia and other swallowing disorders, this cornstarch-based thickener sets within 30-60 seconds and can be used in both hot and cold foods to any desired thickness without affecting the flavor. It gives the body caloric intake, nutrients, and hydration.
Designed to thicken liquids rapidly, food, and other oral nutritional supplements for those with swallowing disorders, this thickening powder is an innovative thickening agent made from xanthan gum that is more concentrated and so requires less powder than other starch-based thickeners and is ACBS approved.
This beverage thickener can be added to all types of hot or cold food, liquids, and supplements without affecting taste. The powder of this thickener blends quickly and smoothly to achieve nectar, honey, or spoon-thick consistency while releasing 98% of available fluids after consumption. Gluten and lactose-free, it leaves no aftertaste and stops thickening after one minute.
Designed to thicken any liquid (hot or cold), this thickener gel is perfect for those with swallowing difficulties and thickens in seconds instead of minutes. The flexibility of this thickening agent allows users to add body to foods to make processing easier without affecting the color of the final product.
Those who suffer from swallowing difficulties can make eating and drinking fun again with thick water and food thickeners. Visit Health Products for You to purchase all your thick water and food-thickening agents.
Disclaimer: All content found on our website, including images, videos, infographics and text were created solely for informational purposes. Our content should never be used for the purpose of diagnosis or treatment of any medical conditions. Content shared on our websites is not meant to be used as a substitute for advice from a certified medical professional. Reliance on the information provided on our website as a basis for patient treatment is solely at your own risk. We urge all our customers to always consult a physician or a certified medical professional before trying or using a new medical product.
Kevin Cleary has been a Health Products For You contributor for many years and has a degree in marketing. His health and wellness journey has a very personal meaning and has guided him in his content writing for HPFY.
In 2006, ...
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