What is a Dysphagia Diet?

A dysphagia diet is designed to help people with swallowing disorders (dysphasia) or chewing difficulties. People with swallowing disorders are more likely to experience nutritional deficiencies. Nutritional deficiency can be dangerous at any age, but in older adults, it can slow down the healing process, compromise the immune system and increase the risk of infection.

Dysphagia dietary supplements are made in an appropriate consistency so they can be swallowed easily and help people meet their nutritional needs. At HPFY, we constantly strive to provide dysphagia foods filled with vitamins and nutrients that meet our client's dietary needs, help them enjoy the food, and improve their quality of life. We have dysphagia products, including thickened water, thickened beverages, purees, and protein supplements to help with malnutrition.

Why is Dysphagia Nutrition needed?

People with dysphagia may have reduced muscle tone in the mouth and esophagus and cannot swallow food properly, and that can cause:

Food and drink accidentally go into the lungs and pose serious risks such as choking, coughing, problems with breathing, or infection.

People may not eat enough of the right foods to stay healthy and maintain weight

To address these above complications, food texture is modified and made thick to reduce the risk of aspiration and help manage dysphagia. Increasing the consistency of the thin liquids makes it possible to slow down their flow rate and lower the risk of food going into the airways and causing coughing, choking, and aspiration pneumonia. Food thickeners are used to increase the thickness of liquid or pureed foods without changing their taste.

Who should consume Dysphagia Food?

Anyone who has trouble swallowing or chewing can benefit from the thickened liquid. Some of the medical conditions that can lead to chewing and swallowing problems are:

Stroke
Dementia
Digestive disorders
Oral or dental surgery
Injuries to the jaw or gums
Oral infections
Mouth sores
Narrowing of the oesophagus
Conditions that produce less saliva, such as Sjogren syndrome
Parkinson’s disease or other neurologic condition
Surgery for throat cancer

Types of Dysphagia Food

1. Food Thickeners

Food thickeners are vital for the management of a dysphagia diet. Drink thickeners increase the thickness of the liquids and thin food, making them easier and safer to swallow. They reduce the flow of liquids, preventing them from going into the airways.

Food thickeners change the texture of hot and cold beverages, soups, sauces, gravies, and even some desserts to the desired consistency without changing their taste. Food thickeners are available in powder or gel forms. We have a wide range of drink thickeners, like Kent Thick-It Food Thickener, which can provide nectar-like, honey-like, or pudding-like consistencies.

2. Thickened Water/Pre-Thickened Beverages

Thick water is a ready-to-use drink that provides a safe and effective way to stay hydrated for people with swallowing disorders. Some thickened beverages are formulated incorporating vitamins and nutrients to address the specific nutritional needs of dysphagic patients. Pre-thickened drinks are a good option for people with chewing and swallowing difficulty, loss of appetite, or those recovering from an illness or surgery.

We carry a wide range of thickened beverages, fruit juices, and more to cater to the nutritional needs of those with swallowing difficulties. Kent Thick-It AquaCareH2O Thickened Apple Juice made is made from 100 percent juice and contains no added sugars.

3. Pureed Food

Pureed food is designed to provide nutritional support for people with dysphagia or malnutrition. Pureed food can help combat the nutritional deficiencies of dysphagic patients and help them maintain a healthy weight. Purees are a creamy paste of cooked vegetables, fruits, legumes, etc., that have been ground and sieved to a consistency that is easy to swallow. Kent Thick-It Seasoned Broccoli Puree is ready-to-eat, fully cooked pureed food that can be served as a side dish.

Note: The duration of following a dysphagic diet depends on what causes your dysphagia. Swallowing issues are typically diagnosed by a speech-language pathologist (SLP). The SLP will help determine your risk for aspiration and guide you about the best dysphagia food choices.

Consistency of Pureed Food

Dysphagia diet typically falls into three categories depending on its consistency, including:

Nectar Thick – Nectar thick liquids are easily pourable and have the consistency of fruit nectars and cream soups.
Honey Thick – Honey thick dysphagia food is the step above nectar, and they have the thickness of honey or corn syrup. These thickened foods are denser and slow-moving and not easily pourable.
Pudding Thick – These pureed foods have a pudding-like consistency, and they cannot be poured and are usually eaten with a spoon.

Where can I buy Foods for Dysphagia?

Health Products For You understands that nutritious food is essential for everyone to help the body function and keep it healthy. We supply high-quality dysphagia diet products, including thickened water, food thickeners, and pureed food from top-rated manufacturers like Kent Precision Foods, Hormel Health Labs, Nestle Nutrition, etc., to help with the nutritional needs of those with swallowing problems. Shop now and help make your loved one's mealtime easier and more enjoyable.